Barack & Michelle Obama Unveil Their Official Portraits at National Portrait Gallery!

Former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama‘s official portraits were finally unveiled today (February 12) at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C.

The 56-year-old former president chose Kehinde Wiley, a Yale University-trained painter — and Michelle‘s was done by Baltimore-based artist Amy Sherald.

“How about that? That’s pretty sharp,” Barack said (via Huffington Post) as he took the podium to give a speech. The portrait depicts him sitting against a backdrop of green foliage. “I tried to negotiate less gray hair and Kehinde’s artistic integrity would not allow (him) to do what I asked,” Obama joked. “I tried to negotiate smaller ears. Struck out on that as well.”

“I’m also thinking of all the young people, particularly girls and girls of color, who … will see an image of someone who looks like them hanging on the wall of this great American institution,” Michelle expressed during her speech. “I know the kind of impact that will have on their lives, because I was one of those girls.”

The exhibit featuring the Obamas‘ new portraits will open on Wednesday (February 14).