Most portraits are just that - presidents standing in front of the painter, sometimes standing and sometimes sitting, but always looking either directly ahead or into the distance.
Kennedy isn't. In fact, this is a very unorthodox portrait for anyone to have, let alone an official portrait of the president. Is there a reason for this? Was JFK trying to build some sort of public image?
Can I ask a secondary question? Is that allowed? Why is Kennedy's hand so far from the cuff of his suit? Is this a major fluke from the artist? It is very unnatural the way his "wrist" is so bent and it doesn't seem possible for his arm to even be long enough to allow his hand to be there in the first place. Anyone?
