Social media reacts to unveiling of Obama’s portrait

Social media users on Monday reacted to the unveiling of former President Barack Obama’s portrait.

Twitter users questioned the inspiration behind the portrait, with some comparing the portrait to a GIF of Homer Simpson disappearing into a bush and another Twitter user likening the portrait to a picture of Beyoncé.

The portrait was unveiled Monday at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery.

The painting will join the “America’s Presidents” exhibition at the Washington gallery as part of its permanent installation, which will be on view for the public beginning on Tuesday.

Obama’s portrait was painted by artist Kehinde Wiley. Obama is shown with flowers in the background, which are meant to symbolize a number of places.

The chrysanthemums are the official flower of Chicago, where Obama began his political career. His childhood home of Hawaii is represented by jasmine, and African blue lilies serve as a nod to his late Kenyan-born father, Barack Obama Sr.

come back pic.twitter.com/R3SZ7Pmdf5

— christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) February 12, 2018

This may or may not have been the inspiration for @BarackObama‘s official portrait: pic.twitter.com/d9yJTYImm7

— Frank Thorp V (@frankthorp) February 12, 2018

I can’t unsee this with @BarackObama’s official portrait. pic.twitter.com/F7sW01tqTg

— ClotureClub.com (@ClotureClub) February 12, 2018

Obama’s new portrait looks awfully familiar… pic.twitter.com/S5wenGJTPq

— Colleen Wordock (@cwordock) February 12, 2018

pic.twitter.com/Ud20mB3sTj

— nick (@nick_pants) February 12, 2018

ahem pic.twitter.com/QKf0IVUC7C

— Jennifer Bendery (@jbendery) February 12, 2018

Wherever Obama is sitting in his portrait, it looks lovely and peaceful. I’d like to go there.

— Amanda Terkel (@aterkel) February 12, 2018

nice of him to honor his predecessors, the bushes https://t.co/A9XJOrDXCG

— Ariel Edwards-Levy (@aedwardslevy) February 12, 2018