Twitter users were left scratching their heads after it appeared the artist who painted former President Barack Obama’s official portrait had given the former head of state a sixth finger.
Kehinde Wiley, 41, who was commissioned to paint the portrait that will hang in the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery.
While the painting drew praise for its bright background and Obama’s relaxed pose, some eagle-eye viewers drew attention to the former president’s left hand.
Many Twitter users said that where the pinky finger creased, it looked like it featured an extra finger tucked under his palm.
Another critique was that the ex-commander-in-chief’s hands seemed way too large, almost as long as his forearms and twice as big as his head.
Twitter users were left scratching their heads after it appeared the artist who painted former President Barack Obama’s official portrait had given the former head of a state a sixth finger
Many Twitter users said that where the pinky finger creased, it looked like it featured an extra finger tucked under his palm.
Twitter users quickly flocked to social media to ask others the question puzzling them all.
‘What’s extra weird: Obama has an extra finger growing beneath his pinky on his left hand,’ one user tweeted.
‘Serious Question – why does Obama have the appearance of a 6th finger?? Mistake? Or something else??’ another one wrote.
One user commented: ‘Why does Obama have an extra finger tucked behind his others?’
Twitter users quickly flocked to social media to ask others the question puzzling them all about the extra appendage (above)
Unveiled yesterday, the portraits of Barack Obama and Michelle Obama will hang at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery.
‘That’s pretty sharp,’ the ex-president said as he and artist Kehinde Wiley pulled the cloth off Obama’s portrait, which showed the Democrat in a tie-less get-up, seated, surrounded by a floral motif.
Michelle Obama’s portrait, created by Amy Sherald, had been unveiled first, and the former president quickly applauded the artist for capturing the ‘hotness of the woman that I love.’
Both of the Obamas talked about the intimate process of getting their portrait painted, including the fact that each artist had to interview with the then-president and first lady in the Oval Office.
Unveiled yesterday, the portraits of Barack Obama and Michelle Obama will hang at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery
Obama joked that he had asked Wiley to make his hair less gray and his ears smaller in his portrait
Michelle Obama’s portrait, created by Amy Sherald, had been unveiled first, and the former president quickly applauded the artist for capturing the ‘hotness of the woman that I love
Obama (pictured, Monday) also said that Wiley wanted to make the portrait more grandiose than having the former POTUS simply sit in a chair
‘I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,’ the former FLOTUS told the two artists, saying her first order of business was to apologize to them for making them go through those grillings.
The Obamas noted how neither had sat for a portrait before, with the ex-president calling attention to his high school yearbook photo saying it was ‘no great shakes.’
The ex-president also said that he had asked Wiley to change certain things about his appearance, including making his hair – which was jet black when he entered the White House – less grey, and shrinking his trademark big ears.
Obama also said that Wiley wanted to make the portrait more grandiose than having the former POTUS simply sit in a chair.
‘I had to explain that I have enough political problems,’ Obama said, suggesting that the artist wanted to mount him on a horse, among other ideas. ‘Gotta bring it down just a touch.’
Wiley’s works are often easily identifiable by their wild backgrounds, with the flowers behind Obama symbolizing places where he has roots: chrysanthemums for Chicago, jasmine for Hawaii and African blue lilies for the birthplace of Obama’s late Kenyan father.