White House holds little-known American art collection

WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - The White House, known as the home of the president of the United States, also houses an art collection that author Leslie Greene Bowman says rivals museums anywhere in the world.Bowman, an American art historian, served under four presidents on the Committee for the Preservation of the White House. She has written a new book, “Art for the White House,” detailing the art collection inside the executive mansion.“Most Washingtonians, most Americans, don’t really know very much about it. And yet here it’s just right on par with any of the great museums in this city and their American art collections,” Bowman said.Bowman said the collection started with one image.“The finest in the collection is the great, iconic, full-length portrait of George Washington as our first president. And it moved into the White House before any other furniture did,” Bowman said.The White House art collection remained largely unchanged until First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy grew the gallery,