Bill and Melinda Gates

Object Details

Artist

Jon R. Friedman, born 1947

Sitter

William Henry Gates III, born 28 Oct 1955

Melinda Gates, born 1964

Exhibition Label

Bill Gates (born 1955) dropped out of Harvard to write software for the earliest personal computers. His company, Microsoft, developed a computer operating system for wide-scale nontechnical use that spurred on the personal computer revolution begun in the 1980s. Microsoft remains a leader in the industry and made Gates among the world’s wealthiest individuals. Melinda French Gates (born 1964) has degrees in computer science, economics, and business, and was employed by Microsoft before marrying Bill Gates in 1994.

The couple created the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation with the mission of helping all people live healthy, productive lives. Global priorities include improving health and boosting the productivity of small farms in poor countries; national initiatives include implementing partnerships to make sure students graduate from high school ready for college and helping local libraries provide free computer and Internet services.

The painting is set near the Gates family home on Lake Washington. The collaged screen on the left includes maps, charts, and images referencing the foundation’s work, with the statement “All Lives Have Equal Value.” The background shows the lake with the Olympic Mountains in the distance.

Provenance

NPG commissioned from artist

Credit Line

National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; supported by a grant from the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation and by the Marc Pachter Commissioning Fund

2010

Object number

NPG.2010.83

Restrictions & Rights

Usage conditions apply

Type

Painting

Medium

Oil and collage on canvas attached to wood panel

Dimensions

Panel: 127.6 x 117.5cm (50 1/4 x 46 1/4")

Frame: 130.7 x 120.5 x 7cm (51 7/16 x 47 7/16 x 2 3/4")

Exhibition

20th Century Americans: 2000 to Present

On View

NPG, South Gallery 341

National Portrait Gallery

Topic

Interior\Interior with Exterior View

Home Furnishings\Furniture\Seating\Chair\Armchair

Interior\Conference room

William Henry Gates III: Male

William Henry Gates III: Society and Social Change\Philanthropist

William Henry Gates III: Society and Social Change\Reformer\Humanitarian

William Henry Gates III: Business and Finance\Businessperson\Industrialist\Manufacturer\Computer software

William Henry Gates III: Business and Finance\Businessperson\Executive\Computer

William Henry Gates III: Business and Finance\Businessperson\Entrepreneur\Technology

William Henry Gates III: Business and Finance\Businessperson\Business magnate

Melinda Gates: Female

Melinda Gates: Society and Social Change\Philanthropist

Portrait

Record ID

npg_NPG.2010.83

Usage of Metadata (Object Detail Text)

Usage conditions apply

GUID (Original Record Link)

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm43d5ef50c-6897-4e77-a1b5-525aa1489c40