PH sent me two Christmas cards from the White House. One of the Red (or State) Room with a printed inscription from Jack and Jackie Kennedy, dated 1961. The other one pictures the Green Room, similarly inscribed but dated 1962.
These cards are lithographs from original paintings commissioned by Mrs. Kennedy from artist Edward Lehman. In its history, no first lady had ever asked an artist to do a painting of any feature of the White House. She discovered Lehman rendered the flattering touch she wanted to reflect her good taste in the redecoration and restoration of the White House rooms. Designing Camelot: The Kennedy White House Restoration by James A Abbott and Elaine M Rice discusses how PH’s Christmas cards became instrumental in Jackie’s goal to focus the spotlight on the White House. She redesigned the rooms to their rightful place in history, more like an historic museum of the presidency than simply an executive mansion.
Jackie Kennedy Redecorates
Jackie’s interest in the historic preservation of the White House went back to before her husband’s inauguration, when she redecorated the family quarters. She scoured government storage areas for discarded White House furniture and decorative art. For help with her selection process, she created a committee of expert Americana collectors. The founder of the Winterthur Museum of American Decorative Arts, Henry Francis du Pont headed the committee.
She stove off criticism that she spent American’s money on decorating, she made two smart moves. Firstly, she asked Americans to donate art and furniture to the White House. To insure donors gifts “immortal,” she pressed the 87th Congress to pass a law which made donated property the sole property of the White House in perpetuity. Secondly, she wrote a book The White House: An Historic Guide. To make sure her work lived on, she lobbied Congress to create a federal position of White House Curator.
PH’s Red, or State Room Christmas card became the first such card of its kind. It features Jackie’s design for the State Room. The card welcomed the public nature of the White House as a showcase for taste and the arts. A month after PH’s family received this card in 1962, Jackie appeared on her own show, a CBS special A Tour of the White House with Mrs. John F. Kennedy.
Tragedy Strikes
The third Christmas in the White House for the Kennedys, she gave special importance to Christmases of the White House past. She emphasized one of her passions, historical taste and tradition. PH’s second Christmas card, also painted by Edward Lehman, shows the newly renovated Green Room. Plans were drawn for Mr. Lehman to paint the Blue Room for the next card. The art for the card was painted, but never sent. Tragedy struck on November 22, 1963 with the death of the president. 1963 saw LBJ and Lady Bird spending an unplanned and somber Christmas in the White House.
The value of PH’s two cards derives from a reproduction Lehman watercolor scene of the Red Room in a red portfolio, 17″ x 14″, given to the White House staff. Such a treasure is worth $400, but Ph’s two cards are worth $75 each.