The official portraits of Barack and Michelle Obama have been unveiled at the White House in an emotional and overdue ceremony. Customarily, a former president returns for the unveiling during the tenure of his successor. But the Obamas did not have their ceremony while Donald Trump was in office. Speaking after his portrait was unveiled, Barack thanked the artists Robert McCurdy and Sharon Sprung. On McCurdy’s photorealistic painting style, Obama noted how “he captures every wrinkle of your face, every crease of your shirt, [and] you’ll note he refused all of my requests to make my ears smaller,” he said. “He also talked me out of wearing a tan suit, by the way,” Obama added to laughter and applause, a nod to the social media firestorm that occurred when he wore such a suit in 2014. Meanwhile, Michelle hailed the portraits as a reminder of American opportunity, saying “there’s a place for everyone in this country”. “If the two of us can end up on the walls of the most famous address in the world,” she said, “it is so important for every young kid who is doubting themselves to believe that they can too.” Photo by Pool/ABACA/REX/Shutterstock