Jackie at JFK’s Inauguration captures a bitterly cold January 20, 1961, when Jackie Kennedy witnessed her husband sworn in as the 35th president of the United States. It was the first presidential inauguration televised in color, though Jackie’s TV-shaped sunglass lenses reflect the black-and-white camera feed that most Americans saw at the time.
The painting is the result of hours of research, including the discovery that Jackie’s iconic pillbox hat and coat were actually tan, not blue, as commonly remembered. The blue background symbolizes that common misconception. Like the other paintings in the series, the final touch is a glossy spot varnish over the lenses so they shine as they would in real life.
