The White House Historical Association has successfully purchased a series of Norman Rockwell sketches at auction for $7.25 million, returning the historically significant artwork to the institution after they were removed in 2022 due to ownership disputes.

The four sketches, collectively titled “So You Want to See the President!” depict various individuals waiting to meet President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the 1940s. Among those portrayed are journalists, military officers, and even a Miss America Pageant winner with her publicist, all seated on plush red chairs in the White House’s waiting area.

“I can’t tell you how personally thrilled I am that the White House Historical Association preserved this piece of White House history,” said Anita McBride, a member of the association’s board of directors.

The association’s winning bid of $5.8 million, plus the buyer’s premium paid to Heritage Auctions, brought the total acquisition cost to $7.25 million. This represents the highest amount ever paid by the association for a historical artifact, far exceeding the previous record of $1.5 million spent in 2007 for “The Builders,” a painting by renowned African American artist Jacob Lawrence that currently hangs in the White House Green Room.

The sketches were originally created by Rockwell in 1943 and published in the Saturday Evening Post, a magazine that frequently featured the artist’s iconic illustrations of American life. According to Heritage Auctions, the Dallas-based auction house that handled the sale, these sketches are Rockwell’s only known collection of four interrelated paintings conceived to tell a cohesive story.

Prior to their removal in 2022, the sketches had been displayed in the West Wing for years, serving as both decoration and historical documentation of the Roosevelt administration. They were put up for auction by a grandson of the White House official who had originally received them as a gift from Rockwell himself.

The White House Historical Association was established in 1961 by First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy with the mission of preserving the museum-quality interior of the White House and educating the public about its history. As a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that operates without government funding, the association relies on private donations and fundraising efforts to acquire and maintain historically significant items.

Stewart McLaurin, president of the association, expressed enthusiasm about the acquisition, stating, “We look forward to utilizing this acquisition to teach White House history for generations to come.”

Matthew Costello, the association’s chief education officer, indicated that officials have discussed displaying the sketches at The People’s House: A White House Experience, an interactive education center opened by the association in September 2024. This would allow the public to view these important pieces of presidential history in a setting designed to provide context and educational value.

The reclamation of these Rockwell sketches represents more than just the return of valuable artwork to the White House collection. It highlights the ongoing efforts to preserve tangible connections to America’s presidential history and ensures that future generations will have access to cultural artifacts that illuminate the nation’s past.

For art historians and Rockwell enthusiasts, the preservation of this complete series in its original context provides valuable insight into both the artist’s work and the atmosphere of the Roosevelt White House during a pivotal period in American history.

The association’s significant investment in these sketches underscores the importance placed on maintaining the White House’s role as both the seat of executive power and a living museum of American history and culture.