Portrait of Colin Powell Unveiled

“My travels since leaving the army . . . ” Colin Powell notes in his autobiography, My American Journey, “have deepened my love for our country and our people. It is a love full of pride for our virtues and with patience for our failings.”  Powell, a career soldier who rose to the highest level of the United States military—from 1989 to 1993 he was Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff—has never stopped traveling, and he has always risen to the challenges issued to him by the country he loves. After leaving the army in 1993, Powell later served as Secretary of State during the first administration of President George W. Bush.

On Sunday, December 2, 2012, Colin Powell’s portrait was added to the collection of the National Portrait Gallery and unveiled in a special ceremony which included an interview with National Public Radio’s Michele Norris. In preliminary comments before the unveiling, NPG Commission Chairman Jack Watson stated, “The remarkable story of General Colin Powell is one of the nation’s great stories… he is the Cincinnatus of our time.”

Left to Right: Ronald Sherr, portrait artist; General Colin Powell; Wendy Wick Reaves, NPG Acting Director; and Jack Watson, Chairman of National Portrait Gallery Commission. Photo by Warren Perry. 

Powell was painted by artist Ronald Sherr, who is also responsible for NPG’s portrait of President George H. W. Bush, acquired in 1995.  Sherr’s portrait of Powell is no small work—it measures 92 1/2 by 51 ¾ inches; the artist portrays the general standing in front of Theodore Roosevelt Hall at the National War College at Fort McNair in Washington D. C.

Though Sherr resides in Hong Kong, the painting was completed during several life sittings and with the aid of photographs taken by the artist. General Powell noted of the work, “People will be coming to the National Portrait Gallery and seeing this picture of me, but what they will be seeing is Ron’s artistry and his brilliance.”

—Warren Perry, Catalog of American Portraits, National Portrait Gallery    

 

 

 

Gen. Colin Powell / Ronald N. Sherr / Oil on canvas, 2012 / National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; supported by a grant from the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation and by the Marc Pachter Commissioning Fund

Comments

[Anne Bradley]

Colin Powell is the most inspiring public leader I have known in my life. He is true to his core. Never loses step of who he is first - a family man with a family who blesses him every day. God bless you forever, Sir. So glad to have met you in person!

[Julio A. Fumagalli Macrae]

Congratulations General Colin Powell!!! You deserve it, for your Leadership and Superior values. Julio Fumagalli Macrae,CPP

[mary natale walton]

You're an awesome man.....

[Laura Tefft]

Mr. Sherr, your portrait captures the dignity, grace and integrity that Colin Powell has shown in all the years of military and public service for our country. Thank you.

[Jljrlew56]

Great man

[diane.herring@att.net]

You would have been an amazing President. Great potrait.

[Alex Sherr]

"Left to Right: Ronald Scherr, portrait artist; General Colin Powell; Wendy Wick Reaves, NPG Acting Director; and Jack Watson, Chairman of National Portrait Gallery Commission. Photo by Warren Perry."

A misspelling of the artist's name, from an official NPG blog no less? Please make sure that is fixed ASAP.

[National Portrait Gallery]

Fixed.

[Catherine Baker]

Congratulations General Powell it was an honor and a privilege to be present at this wonderful ceremony

[Dave]

What a man, what a man, what a... :) Great article!

[Kevin]

He lied to the U.N. about Iraq.