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This article is about a series of portraits of Stephen Colbert, from the television show The Colbert Report.
History of the Portraits
The Colbert portraits developed as part of the set of the satirical television program The Colbert Report.
On one wall of the Colbert Report set, above an artificial fireplace, is a portrait of Colbert. It originally showed Colbert standing in front of the same mantel with another portrait of himself. On the show's first anniversary, the portrait was replaced by one of Colbert standing in front of the mantel with the first portrait above it; the original was auctioned off at a charity event
At the National Portrait Gallery
In episodes of The Colbert Report that aired on January 10, 14, and 15, 2008, Colbert tries to convince the Smithsonian that he should be considered a national treasure. He attempts to donate his portrait to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, but the museum’s director suggests that perhaps Colbert should speak to the National Portrait Gallery. Finally, after much "discussion", the director of the National Portrait Gallery finds an appropriate place to hang Colbert’s portrait, in between the bathrooms and above the water fountain.
On January 16, 2008, the "3-deep" Colbert portrait was placed on display "right between the bathrooms near the 'America's Presidents' exhibit" at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC. The portrait was scheduled to be on display at the Smithsonian until April 2008. While on display, the exhibit bore the following caption:
On October 16, 2008, the 3-deep portrait was officially donated to the permanent collection of the Smithsonian's American Treasures exhibit.
At the National Museum of American History
The Smithsonian's National Museum of American History reopened in November 2008, after being closed for the previous two years for major renovations. As of the reopening, the portrait of Stephen Colbert is on display on the third floor, west wing, in the entrance to the "Thanks for the Memories: Music, Sports and Entertainment History" exhibit.
The portrait itself is not a true painting, but a digital image on canvas, made in 2005.
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