Hank Aaron Coming to National Portrait Gallery

Hank Aaron by Ross Rossin (via rossinfineart.com); oil on canvas, 48x48in

Arguably the best baseball player in the world, ever, will be in DC this weekend. Hank Aaron, the former all-time Major League Baseball home run leader, will be at the Smithsonian Institution on Saturday. The National Portrait Gallery is hosting Aaron in order to formerly receive his portrait by artist Ross Rossin. Aaron, who recently celebrated his 80th birthday, will be interviewed by author and journalist Howard Bryant. The portrait is actually already hung, and is on the first floor of the Gallery.

Aaron held the MLB record for most home runs hit from 1974 until 2007, when the record was surpassed by San Francisco Giant Barry Bonds. Bond's record (762 home runs) appears safe for a while; the next closest active players are Alex Rodriguez (654), Manny Ramirez (555), Albert Pujols (492), and Adam Dunn (440). While I admire Bonds, his too-close-but-not-totally-verified links to performance enhancing drugs means that I personally consider Aaron, with 755, the greatest American home run hitter of all time.

From the Smithsonian:

What: Live interview with Hank Aaron hosted by Howard Bryant of ESPN and portrait of Aaron by Ross R. Rossin on view in first-floor gallery

When: Saturday, February 8, 2014 - 12:00pm - 1:30pm

Where: Nan Tucker McEvoy Auditorium, National Portrait Gallery, Eighth and G streets NW

The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery hosts a living self-portrait with baseball star Hank Aaron in celebration of his 80th birthday. ESPN’s Howard Bryant will host the interview in the museum’s Nan Tucker McEvoy Auditorium. A portrait of Aaron by Ross R. Rossin was recently installed on the first floor of the museum.

Aaron is senior vice president of Atlanta National League Baseball Club Inc. Before joining the Atlanta Braves’ front office, Aaron enjoyed a 23-year major league career. He holds more major league batting records than any other player in the game’s history. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1982. Aaron has received numerous civic awards, including the Presidential Citizens Medal, awarded by President Bill Clinton, and the Medal of Freedom, awarded by President George W. Bush. With his wife Billye, he is the founder of the Hank Aaron Chasing the Dream Foundation.

Guest interviewer Howard Bryant is a senior writer for ESPN.com and ESPN the Magazine. He wrote The Last Hero: A Life of Henry Aaron (2010). A journalist for 23 years, he was previously a columnist at the Boston Herald and covered the New York Yankees for the Bergen Record and the Oakland A’s for the San Jose Mercury News. He has also been the sports correspondent for National Public Radio’s Weekend Edition with Scott Simon since 2006.

Down F Street

History in Art and Story: Portrait Talks at Smithsonian's NPG

The National Portrait Gallery always has great programming to go along with the stellar collection and gorgeous building.

These talks are based on specific portraits hanging in the Gallery, which shares the old Patent Office Building with the Smithsonian American Art Museum. NPG is located at 801 F Street NW, one block away from the closest 42 bus stop. As a former Richmonder, I think I need to see the Edgar Allan Poe talk. And as a sports fan, maybe the Babe Ruth talk, too!

From the Gallery:

Face-to-Face Portrait Talks
Thursdays, September 9, 16, 23, and 30, 6:00 - 6:30pm

Join a curator, historian, or special guest speaker to learn more about the people and their portraits hanging in the National Portrait Gallery. September Face-to-Face talks feature the theme paper trail. Each Thursday a different portrait is highlighted. Meet in the F Street lobby.

September 9 (TODAY!)- Historian Jim Barber speaks about Babe Ruth by William Auerbach-Levy

September 16 - Researcher Warren Perry speaks about Edgar Allan Poe by Samuel Stillman
September 23 - Curatorial Assistant Amy Baskette speaks about Carl Sandburg by William A. Smith
September 30 - NASA Curator of Art Bert Ulrich speaks about John Glenn by Henry Casselli Jr.

Take Five at the Kogod Courtyard

Sort of happened upon this by chance, but I'm glad to know it exists. Take Five! is a monthly program held in the courtyard between the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery. The music is generally of the jazz variety and this event takes place each third Thursday from 5:00pm until 8:00pm. SAAM and the NPG are normally open until 7:30, which I love. Great for an after work break/happy hour. The courtyard cafe is open during the performance and yes, they do serve adult beverages.

Yesterday's performance was a take on April 15; tax day. Singer and pianist Sandy Asirvatham played with an ensemble group and sang songs about, well, money and taxes. It was sort of odd, but we enjoyed the music and good company. The next Take Five! performance will be on May 20 and feature the Uptown Vocal Jazz Quartet.

Do yourself a favor and go early, see Remembering the Running Fence at SAAM (fascinating!) and settle down for some vocal jazz.

This is just a prelude of sorts to another totally separate event, Jazz on the Grass (i.e Jazz in the Garden). Hosted by the National Gallery of Art, Jazz in the Garden begins a week later, May 28, down at the Sculpture Garden on 7th & Constitution. Summer is about to begin boys and girls. It's about to begin.

SAAM and NPG, G Street

Kogod Courtyard

National Portrait Gallery and American Art Museum. 9th and G Streets NW.

Would You Stand in Line to See This?

Well I did. Apparently, I had waaaaayyyy too much free time over the holiday weekend. I trekked down to the National Portrait Gallery to take a glimpse (and a photo) of the Stephen Colbert portrait. The comedian is "featured" in a particularly bad rendition of himself on the second floor of the National Portrait Gallery. Its downtown. Take the 42 bus to the last stop at 9th and G Sts NW, then walk one block to the F Street entrance of the NPG. Go upstairs one flight and the painting will be on the right. Its positioned in between two bathrooms, as you can see in the photo.

You'd think all of the eager, young minds in this second photo were in line to see the epic Landsdowne portrait of President George Washington, but alas, they were way more intrigued by the Colbert. The line was formed for those taking a photo of the portrait. Taking a picture of a picture. Yes.

The Portrait Gallery agreed to the "arrangement" only after Colbert was rebuffed by the National Museum of American History, which thankfully is closed until later this year. Not sure they would have gotten away placing Colbert's likeness next to its other rarified, historical, American classics such as Seinfeld's puffy shirt, John McClane's Die Hard wares, or Archie Bunker's Chair

NPG and American Art

I love the National Portrait Gallery and American Art Museum. They are housed in the same building at the other end of the 42 bus line. Ride the Metro Center bound 42 all the way to the end of the line and you'll be right across the street from the entrance (G St NW between 7th and 9th Sts NW). The American Art exhibits change pretty frequently, but the Portrait Gallery's collections seem to rotate in and out at a slower pace. More exciting though, is the building itself. Originally constructed to house the Patent Office (it was supposed to be fireproof), the south wing was completed in the 1830s and the Patent Office moved into the space in 1840.

Over the years the building has established a rather sordid history, growing by several wings, housing numerous agencies and government offices, surviving the Civil War (as a morgue for a time), hosting Presidential inaugural balls and, of course, being partially destroyed by a large fire (1877).

It was designated as home to the Smithsonian's American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery in 1968. In 2000 it was closed for a two year renovation and according to government schedule reopened in July 2006. It was worth the wait though. Here are a few photos from the building. These are from the third floor, which is hardly ever crowded.