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I looked at all of these to both the artistry and the rendition of the subject and the subject's character, because I can't just tell you what I like and why, without telling you about the rest that I find less than compelling and why.

Many of these are, to my VERY biased (surprise?) taste, surprisingly gawdawful - those of most of the presidents during my lifetime put me in mind of going to a wake, looking down in the casket, and wondering who the enbalmer put there, because it scarcely resembles who I knew. Yeesh. Only Carter's and GHW Bush, by Abrams, look like themselves. And Kennedy - very impressionist, IMO not suited to a presidential portrait. A good pose, but - not right, for me.

So very very many of these fall into the "too heroic" or "too youngish" category: FDR (are you KIDDING me, this youngish and sculpted?!!), Ike to a much lesser extent. Healy's portraits (Tyler, Polk "can I go now? can I go now?', Fillmore, Pierce) make me want to go out and buy the man some new poses; though he did do much better with Lincoln, thankfully. Hayes' and Arthur's portraits show that their painter must also have been studying at Healy's School of Heroic Poses. Insert loooong eyeroll at all of these.

Stuart's paintings of Washington and JQA are awfully wooden. Trumbull's Adams is good but bland. I was very surprised at TR's portrait by JS Sargent, normally a painter I like: portrait is good, but the background and props are awful, particularly where the hand rests on the newel post. Did he get shorted on the payment? Same issue with Harding's portrait. Get these men some more paint and send them back in the studio! Van Buren's portrait makes him look like a mountebank (hmm - though I suppose Alexander was on to something, clever man). Most of the other portraits are good enough, but not compelling to me. Those that are remarkable in some way are: Coolidge's - feel the temperature drop when you look at it! Monroe's - I hadn't realized that Samuel F B Morse had done a presidential portrait. Not bad. Zach Taylor looks like the warrior he was.

The heavy contenders for my top choice are Jefferson's and Madison's portraits. Peale's portrait of Jefferson is well posed, very well executed, and strongly shows character. An excellent portrait. But my absolute favorite is Vanderlyn's painting of Madison. Oh, wow - you can see the brilliant, insightful mind behind those eyes, and that powerful spirit that propelled an otherwise weak and sickly body through so many challenges. I cannot take my eyes off of this one. This is a pure distillation of the man's intellect and spirit, not simply a portrait - the metaphorical equivalent of cask-strength single malt scotch. This painting grips me, draws me in, and does not let go; a worthy representation of a truly worthy man.

Thanks for this question, Gerry - this was an interesting and fun exercise. Too early for a dram of Lagavulin (the pear cognac is gone, so I'll substitute the cognac of whisky), but consider yourself toasted at the appropriate time of day. Happy New Year to you, who always makes me think and makes me smile, and to your family.

I tend to enjoy the depth, colour and close up of the facial features of Thomas Jefferson, the way this artist captured the look with-in this Presidents eyes is quit amazing.

To think, back in the 1800's an artist, with the limited supplies / equipment can produce a more interesting portrait of a President then I feel one of today.

Wishing you & your family a very safe & blessed New Year, Gerry !

I've always thought the Peale portrait of Jefferson to be particularly good, but my all time favorite is probably the Sargent of Teddy Roosevelt. It was unusual for a presidential portrait, but like Sargent's other works, it manages to project both studied elegance and a certain informality via his impressionistic technique. A very nice portrait.

I liked the portrait of Chester A. Arthur. He was, unkindly put, a fop. The portrait shows him in all his affectations: muttonchops, fur lined cuffs, collar and lapels. Soft hands never stained by hard work.

Surprisingly, when he became president he did show some backbone, something the portrait does not convey.

Gilbert Stuart's painting of George Washington

John Q Adams. Artist captures his personality. Rather austere, aristocratic, intelligent. A statesman of the first rank.

JFK.

When he was killed a class-mate of mine who is a fine artist, drew a very good pencil sketch of him, that I retained for a long time.

Mine is Herbert Hoover

I like JFK's. Like the pose he is doing and shows his character.