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Queen of Diamonds

Jacqueline Lee Bouvier, later to become Jackie Kennedy and Jackie Onassis, was born on this day in 1929.

The young First Lady was a media sensation during John F. Kennedy's presidency and used her notoriety to call attention to the arts and historic preservation. She was instrumental in preserving the historic home of our Renwick Gallery, which was slated for the wrecking ball!

In Jacqueline Kennedy II, Andy Warhol mimics the effect of mass communication. By repeating celebrities' portraits—for example, Liz Taylor, Jackie Kennedy, and Marilyn Monroe—Warhol emphasizes image overload in our media saturated culture. The guile of Warhol's work lies in his fascinated yet indifferent approach to the subject.

Pictured: Andy Warhol, 1928–1978, (11 Pop Artists, Volume II, portfolio) Jacqueline Kennedy II, 1965, serigraph, 24 x 30 in., Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Philip Morris Incorporated.