Eleanor Finch
Jon McNaughton is an American artist who painted a picture of former US President Barack Obama trampling on the Constitution. The painting, titled The Forgotten Man, also features a sad American sitting in front of the White House with 43 past presidents surrounding him. McNaughton's work is often political and religious in nature, with The Forgotten Man being the second in a series of politically charged portraits. The painting attracted notoriety for its unsubtle political themes, with some critics calling it so bad it's good.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Artist | Jon McNaughton |
| Year | 2010 |
| Title | The Forgotten Man |
| Medium | Oil paint |
| Subjects | Barack Obama, 43 past presidents, a destitute citizen |
| Themes | Politics, religion, freedom, debt |
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What You'll Learn
Jon McNaughton's political themes
Jon McNaughton is a Republican artist from Utah who gained prominence during Barack Obama's presidency for his politically charged portraits. McNaughton's work is known for its conservative political themes and religious imagery. He has been criticised for his artistic style and accused of creating propaganda, but his paintings have also been compared to memes and described as "paint-by-numbers".
McNaughton's political themes often revolve around the loss of traditional power relations and the loss of privilege by certain groups. For example, his painting "One Nation Under Socialism" depicts Obama burning the Constitution, while "The Demise of America" shows Obama playing the fiddle while Washington burns. In "Wake Up America," Obama gives a speech while foreign leaders cheer in the background and the American crowd is chained up, oblivious. These paintings allude to McNaughton's belief that Obama's actions were abusive to the Constitution.
Another recurring theme in McNaughton's work is the separation of church and state. His painting "One Nation Under God" depicts Jesus Christ holding the Constitution, with a pantheon of patriots, soldiers, and religious figures behind him. The righteous citizens are on Christ's right, while the damned, including a judge, a businessman, and a pregnant mother, are on his left. McNaughton has stated that the painting represents his belief that the Constitution is divinely inspired.
McNaughton's paintings often include allegorical references and crystal-clear messages that leave no doubt about how he feels about his subjects. For example, in "The Forgotten Man," Obama stands on the Constitution while past presidents, including Abraham Lincoln and George Washington, look on beseechingly. The painting has been described as a "not-so-subtle criticism of Barack Obama" and became famous when it was bought by Fox News host Sean Hannity after Trump's 2016 election victory.
Overall, McNaughton's political themes centre around conservatism, loss, and the role of religion in government. His paintings are often controversial and have sparked debates about artistic merit, subtlety, and propaganda.
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The painting's controversy
The Paintings' Controversy
The paintings by Jon McNaughton have been described as "so bad they're good", but they have certainly attracted notoriety for their unsubtle political themes. McNaughton's work has been labelled by some as propaganda, and by others as truth. The artist himself has denied any element of racism in his work, but his images do little to support this claim, especially in his depiction of the US's first Black president as the literal enslaver of a predominantly white crowd.
McNaughton's paintings are certainly controversial. One of his most famous works, 'The Forgotten Man', features Barack Obama trampling on the US Constitution. The painting also includes a Caucasian man in contemporary dress, sitting on a bench, looking "distraught and hopeless as he contemplates his future", as McNaughton himself puts it. The painting also includes all past US presidents, including Abraham Lincoln, Ronald Reagan, Thomas Jefferson, and George Washington, who are gathered around the central figure, looking on with concern.
The painting attracted the attention of Fox News anchor Sean Hannity, who bought a copy with the intention of presenting it to then-President-elect Donald Trump. Trump referenced the painting obliquely in his victory speech, stating that "the forgotten men and women of our country will no longer be forgotten".
McNaughton's other works continue the theme of mixing religious and political themes. 'One Nation Under God' depicts Jesus Christ holding the Constitution and judging several archetypes, including a liberal journalist and a college professor. 'One Nation Under Socialism' shows Barack Obama holding the Constitution as it burns. 'Wake Up America' depicts a bound crowd cheering Obama, all except for the ''Forgotten Man' figure, who is cutting through his chains.
McNaughton has stated that he is "not trying to create an art style", but instead wants to "communicate his ideas", and that art should be about "reaching people on a deeper level".
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The artist's intentions
The painting "The Forgotten Man" by Jon McNaughton depicts Barack Obama standing on the US Constitution. McNaughton has said that he did not intend for the painting to be seen as a "second coming type of picture", but rather as a representation of his belief that the Constitution is divinely inspired. He also stated that the painting symbolically suggests the actions of Barack Obama and other presidents, and that their actions speak louder than words.
McNaughton has been vocal about his belief that the Founding Fathers and Patriots were religious, and that secular champions have painted them as being devoid of religious passions or beliefs. He intended to counter this with his painting, which includes Jesus Christ holding the Constitution. The artist has also denied any element of racism in his work, although critics have pointed out that his depiction of the US's first Black president as the "literal enslaver of a predominantly white crowd" does little to support his claim.
McNaughton's work often mixes religious and political themes, and he has said that he hopes his work will create conversation and reach people on a deeper level. He is not concerned with creating an art style, but rather with communicating his ideas, which he believes is the purpose of art. He has also stated that he is not trying to please everyone with his paintings, and that there are three kinds of people who view them: those who like them, those who hate them, and those who simply don't understand them.
The painting "The Forgotten Man" has certainly sparked conversation and gained notoriety for its unsubtle political themes. It was inspired by the passage of the Affordable Care Act and was unveiled in a YouTube video in 2010. The painting has been criticised for its lack of artistic merit and subtlety, but it has also been compared to Shepard Fairey's "Hope" poster from Obama's 2008 campaign as a defining image of Trump's presidential moment.
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The Forgotten Man's meaning
The Forgotten Man is a 2010 painting by the American artist Jon McNaughton. The painting depicts then-President Barack Obama standing in front of the White House, with the American flag at half-mast, alongside a distraught and hopeless citizen while being surrounded by the figures of all past presidents. The painting gained initial notoriety when it was featured on MSNBC television host Rachel Maddow's blog as part of a caption contest.
The subject matter of the painting was inspired by the passage of the Affordable Care Act. McNaughton unveiled the painting in a YouTube video on September 14, 2010. It was the second in a series of politically charged portraits painted by McNaughton. The painting, along with subsequent works by McNaughton, attracted fans for their unsubtle political themes, while critics focused on their perceived "so bad it's good" qualities.
The Forgotten Man came after McNaughton's 2009 painting One Nation Under God, which depicted a Last Judgment-style composition with Jesus Christ at its centre, holding the Constitution. McNaughton's consistent themes took a Tea Party-friendly direction, with One Nation Under God setting out the artist's moral stall.
The Forgotten Man has been interpreted as a powerful statement about the artist's belief that the Constitution is divinely inspired. The painting also suggests that the Founding Fathers and Patriots were religious, contrary to the claims of some secular champions.
In the painting, the figure of Obama stands aloof, arms folded, looking away from the other figures. Founding father James Madison, the Father of the Constitution, beckons towards Obama’s feet in a gesture of outrage at his actions. Under Obama’s right foot is the US Constitution. The only non-president in the painting is a young man, who sits alone on a park bench, hunched over in despair, contemplating his future. Some of the presidents, including Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Reagan, reach out to him, while looking towards Obama.
The painting has been described as a fitting image for Trump's America, with Donald Trump referencing "the forgotten men and women" in his victory speech. Fox News anchor Sean Hannity, a supporter of Trump and McNaughton, purchased the painting and planned to present it to Trump to hang in the White House.
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Obama's depiction
In 2010, Utah-based artist Jon McNaughton painted a picture titled "The Forgotten Man". The painting depicts former US President Barack Obama standing on the US Constitution, with the American flag at half-mast in front of the White House. The artwork also features a Caucasian man in contemporary dress, sitting on a bench, appearing "distraught and hopeless as he contemplates his future". McNaughton has described this figure as the "Forgotten Man".
In the painting, Obama stands with his arms folded, looking away, surrounded by an applauding crowd including Bill Clinton and Franklin Roosevelt. Founding father James Madison, with an astonished expression, gestures towards Obama's feet, as if pleading with him to stop trampling on the Constitution. Other past presidents, including Abraham Lincoln, Ronald Reagan, Thomas Jefferson, and George Washington, stand closer to the "Forgotten Man", reaching out to him with concerned expressions.
McNaughton's painting is overtly political and has been criticised for lacking artistic merit and subtlety. However, it gained national prominence, with Fox News anchor Sean Hannity purchasing a copy to present to then-President-elect Donald Trump. The painting's political themes and depiction of Obama trampling on the Constitution have made it a controversial yet defining image of Trump's presidential moment.
McNaughton has defended his work, stating that it symbolically represents his beliefs and interpretations of Obama's actions as president. He has also denied any accusations of racism in his artwork, despite depicting the first black president of the United States in a negative light. McNaughton's other works, such as "One Nation Under Socialism" and "Wake Up America", continue to explore political and religious themes, often incorporating controversial imagery.
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Frequently asked questions
The picture, titled "The Forgotten Man", was painted by Jon McNaughton.
The painting depicts Obama standing on the US Constitution, with all past presidents of the US gathered around him. McNaughton said that the painting "represents my belief that the Constitution is divinely inspired".
The painting has received criticism for its lack of artistic merit and subtlety. Some have called it propaganda, while others view it as a powerful statement. It has also been perceived as having "so bad it's good" qualities.
Fox News anchor Sean Hannity bought the painting with the intention of presenting it to then-President-elect Donald Trump.
