The White House on Friday released the official first family portrait, taken Sept. 1 by famous photographer Annie Leibovitz. The photograph, posted this morning on the White House’s Flickr stream, shows President Obama, first lady Michelle Obama and daughters Sasha and Malia in the White House’s Green Room. Ms. Leibovitz also took a series of photos of Mr. Obama and his administration for Vanity Fair.
The green-walled drawing room in which the photo was taken was originally intended to be a common dining room but over the years has been used as a lodging and card-playing parlor, according to the White House.
Thomas Jefferson, the second occupant of the White House, used it as a dining room with a “canvas floor cloth, painted green,” foreshadowing the present color scheme, the White House says.
The room was completely refurbished in 1971. The green, watered-silk fabric on the walls was chosen by first lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and added during a 1971 renovation, the White House says.
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