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The LBJ Library and Museum Lobby contains selected paintings
and sculptures including a bronze portrait of President and Mrs. Johnson by Robert Berks.
"Lyndon Baines Johnson" and "Lady Bird Johnson"
by Robert Berks; modeled from life, bronze, 1969
"Thirteen Americans" by Alfred Les
About the painting:
This portrait of thirteen Americans represents the people for whom the extensive social legislation of the 1960s was enacted. Young and old, male and female, black, brown, and white, they reflect the country's diverse multicultural heritage. Some of the Great Society programs have prevailed and continue to be part of American life: Medicare; Medicaid; Head Start; Job Corps; Federal Aid to Education; Civil Rights; Voting Rights; Food Stamps; Highway Safety; Public Broadcasting; Federal Aid to the Arts, Humanities, and Museums; Conservation of Public Lands; Highway Beautification; Clean Air and Water Legislation; and Consumer Protection.
About the artist:
Alfred Leslie is a native New Yorker who began his career in the 1960s as an abstract expressionist. He is now considered one of the nation's foremost twentieth-century realists. Leslie generally works in a heroic scale, using his ext Portraits.
About the people:
Alfred Leslie considers this work a "narrative painting." He chose models who represented a cross-section of the American people from different areas and ethnic backgrounds.
Front row:
Heather Lattuca, a three-year-old child holding a "Snoopy" pull toy.
Middle row (left to right):
Claudia Cohen (with shopping cart), a professional bookbinder of rare books.
Anthony Leslie, the artist's twelve-year-old son, a Little League player wearing a baseball T-shirt.
Emma Martinez, a Puerto Rican immigrant and sociologist from a large family of seventeen brothers and sisters.
Sheena Cee, a worker with her playwright husband in the theater. The artist portrayed her wearing her grandmother's dress and holding a child.
Ninny Leslie, the artist's eleven-month-old daughter.
Bertha Lesser, a dancer holding a book which represents the work of her literary critic husband.
Gregory Alexander, an actor fluent in four languages.
Back row (left to right):
Ed Hadley, a farmer.
Toby Bick, a playwright.
Joseph Crooks, a university audiovisual technician.
Jacqueline Crooks (married to Joseph), a doctoral student in special education.
Julius Gundersheim, a trainer of sports coaches.
Last Updated February 1, 2006
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