Trump's portrait from Colorado's Capitol removed - art or criticism?

Trump's portrait from Colorado's Capitol removed - art or criticism?

Colorado Capitol, Colorado, USA - On March 26, 2025, Donald Trump's portrait from the Presidential Gallery in the Capitol of Colorado was removed. This decision followed the public criticism of the former president, who described the picture as intentionally disadvantageous. Trump commented on his "Truth Social" platform and addressed sharp words against the artist Sarah Boardman, who had created the portrait. Since its line -up in 2019, the picture has been going alongside the portraits of its predecessors and was part of a collection that had been approved by a political committee.

After the portrait was accepted, only a sign with the inscription "Donald Trump - 45th and 47th President" and some space remained that was once taken by the picture. Paul Lunden, the Republican minority leader in the Colorado Senate, had requested the acceptance, and a spokesman for the Republican found that so far there is no information about possible financing or the artist for a new portrait. The Democratic Party, cautiously, commented on the distance and signaled that it did not want to finance a new portrait.

The process of redesign

as from AP News plans to apply a new painting by Donald Trump to To fill empty wall in Colorado Capitol. A meeting of the leading politicians of both parties to decide on the type of new portrait is still pending. However, the legislative is currently employed with more urgent matters, including the state budget.

A spokesman for the Colorado Senate Republicans, Joshua Bly, expressed that there was uncertainty about when the new portrait is put up and how it should be financed. The Republicans in the state had previously collected more than $ 10,000 to commission Boardman's original portrait. The acceptance of the portrait, which is now stored in the History Colorado camp, was carried out after Trump claimed that the artist had "deliberately distorted" him. According to the artist, the picture should show a "non -confrontative" and "thoughtful" expression, which with some critics: did not get well inside.

art historical considerations

The discussion about Trump's portrait also has a deeper art-historical context, as explained in an article by Spectrum . The analysis of art historians, such as Horst Bredekamp, ​​draws parallels to iconic historical works of art. Bredekamp describes the picture as authentic, but staged, and notes that the image composition symbolically stands for triumph and protection.

The strongest image material that is created in the current political landscape could increase Trump's perception as an inviolable figure on social media. The effects of his productions and their influence on fans and critics are still being discussed intensively. Works of art that are in the political context often become a reflection of the respective social climate and can strongly influence the discourses.