The pundits had their say.
But amateur painter, and former president,
George W Bush met a true critic on Wednesday: the Dalai Lama.
His Holiness came face-to-face with his
portrait during a visit to The Bush Center in Dallas, Texas, on his 80th
birthday.
Beaming, he said he was impressed and
flattered - but joked that his right eye could use a little work, a staff
member told Daily Mail Online.
'My right eye could use some work!': The
Dalai Lama joked with George W Bush on seeing his portrait
'My right eye could use some work!': The
Dalai Lama joked with George W Bush on seeing his portrait
Bush said he was driven to paint the Nobel
laureate because he is 'a very sweet man, and I painted him as sweetly as I
could'. It was unveiled in spring last year alongside portraits of Tony Blair
and Vladimir Putin
Bush said he was driven to paint the Nobel
laureate because he is 'a very sweet man, and I painted him as sweetly as I
could'. It was unveiled in spring last year alongside portraits of Tony Blair
and Vladimir Putin
It was one of the more favorable reviews Bush
has received - his younger brother Jeb openly mocked his portraits and said
'I'd like to wait till we get to the post-modern era of this'.
But America's 43rd president found support in
his old friend the 14th Dalai Lama.
When the piece was unveiled in 2014, Bush
said he was driven to paint the Nobel laureate because he is 'a very sweet man,
and I painted him as sweetly as I could.'
It features the spiritual leader wearing his
customary red and yellow robes, and wide-rimmed glasses, with a warm expression
of surprise.
Bush signed it, and his other portraits,
'43'. It was first displayed in the spring of 2014 during The Art Of
Leadership: A President's Personal Diplomacy exhibit at the Bush Center,
portrayals of leaders including Tony Blair, Vladimir Putin, and Nicolas
Sarkozy.
The Nobel laureate was one of the leaders Bush
visited and hosted most during his tenure in the White House.
The pair struck up a close relationship, and
in 2012 His Holiness told Piers Morgan on CNN: 'I love President Bush.'
Morgan replied: 'Really?'
The Dalai Lama responded: 'Yes, really. As a
human being. Not as a president of America. Sometimes his policy may not be
very, very successful. But as a person, as a human being, very nice person. I
love him.'
He added: 'After he sort of [began] the Iraq sort
of crisis ... I expressed to him: "I love you, but your policies
concerned, I have some reservations" I told him.'.
The Dalai Lama was one of the leaders Bush
hosted most during his tenure. They struck up a close relationship, and the
Dalai Lama has said he 'loves' Bush. On Wednesday, he gave Mr and Mrs Bush
scarves
The pair appeared to have plenty to talk
about during the day they spent together
After wishing the Dalai Lama a happy birthday
on Wednesday morning, the former president took him to see the painting for the
first time.
Later, while addressing the Southern
Methodist University, he was serenaded by the audience, who sang 'Happy
birthday His Holiness'. He turns 80 on July 6.
In a gesture of thanks, His Holiness also
presented Bush and former First Lady Laura Bush with white scarves as a gift.
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