Paintings Loaned by the National Gallery of Art to the Supreme Court

An incomplete list of priceless artwork shared with the Justices.

I am researching some of the unique benefits of being a Supreme Court Justice. One of the perks is the ability to borrow priceless artwork from the National Gallery of Art. Over the years, I have seen scattered reports of which paintings the Justices have displayed in their chambers, but I could not find a complete list. I realized no such list exists.

Then I figured out a crude way to search for them. The National Gallery of Art includes an "Artwork History" section for each piece of art in its collection. A search for "Extended loan for use by Justice" or "Extended loan for use by Chief Justice" brings up artwork that was loaned to members of the Supreme Court. I suspect artifacts from the Smithsonian Institution may also be loaned to the Justices, but I could not (yet) figure out a comprehensive way of searching. 

Here is the list, with the Justices sorted by their date of appointment. Several pieces of art were passed between two Justices. 

Chief Justice Rehnquist, by far, had the mot paintings. Justices Stevens and Rehnquist had about the same amount.

• Marshall: Landscape (Imitator of Vincent van Gogh), 
• Rehnquist: Road in Provence (André Derain), First Landing of Christopher Columbus (Frederick Kemmelmeyer), Charles Evans Hughes (Augustus Vincent Tack), Abraham Lincoln (American 19th Century), Chapel in Provence (Captain Edward H. Molyneux), Boy in Blue (American 19th Century), Archery Contest (19th century Chinese Qing Dynasty), Little Girl with Pet Rabbit (Sturtevant J. Hamblin), Pink Roses (American 19th Century), Boy and Girl (American 19th Century), Jane Storm Teller (Ammi Phillips), Nayas Village at Sunset (George Catlin), Salmon River Mountains (George Catlin), Thomas Alston (Thomas Sully), Julianna Hazlehurst (Jacob Eichholtz), Portrait of a Gentleman (Possibly British 18th Century), Skating Scene (John Toole), Memorial to Nicholas M. S. Catlin (American 19th Century), Easby Abbey, near Richmond (George Cuitt the Younger), River Scene (Frits Thaulow), 
• Stevens: Portland Harbor, Maine (American 19th Century), La Bretonnerie in the Department of Indre (Gustave Courbet), Volendam Street Scene (Robert Henri), Queen Victoria (Studio of Franz Xaver Winterhalter), Street at Corté, Corsica (Maurice Utrillo), City Hall at Thorn (Eduard Gaertner), Scene from the Lower Mississippi (George Catlin), Hampstead Heath (Alphonse Legros), 
• O'Connor: Dog Dance - Sioux (George Catlin), A Little Sioux Village (George Catlin), Buffalo Chase, Sioux Indians, Upper Missouri (George Catlin), A Crow Village and the Salmon River Mountains (George Catlin), An Apachee Village (George Catlin), After the Buffalo Chase - Sioux (George Catlin), Two Blackfoot Warriors and a Woman (George Catlin)
• Scalia: George Washington (Gilbert Stuart), Henry Pratt (Thomas Sully), Peaceful Valley (Alexander Helwig Wyant), Charles Evans Hughes (Augustus Vincent Tack), Steamer "St. Lawrence" (James Bard), 
• Kennedy: Siberian Dogs in the Snow (Franz Marc), View of the Mall in Saint James's Park (after Marco Ricci) 
• Souter: Harlan F. Stone (Augustus Vincent Tack), Captain Joseph Anthony (Gilbert Stuart), George Washington (Rembrandt Peale), William Constable (Gilbert Stuart), James Lloyd (Gilbert Stuart)
• Ginsburg: The Omen (Mark Rothko), Untitled (Mark Rothko), 
• Roberts: George Washington (Gilbert Stuart)

There were also a number of paintings that were on loan to the Supreme Court, but not to any particular Justice. I have to assume that these paintings were on display in individual chambers.

Chapala Beach, Mexico (Lily Cushing) 1970-86, Posada Garden with a Monkey (Lily Cushing) 1970-86, Anna Maria Cumpston (Charles Peale Polk) - 1971-81, Mrs. Day (Ammi Phillips) - 1971-82, The Singing Party (Attributed to Philip Mercier), 1972, Winter Valley (Lamar Dodd) - 1972, Dutch Ships in a Lively Breeze (probably 1650s) 1972-86, Curious Grassy Bluffs, St. Peter's River (George Catlin) - 1972-91, The Island (John Hultberg) - 1972-86, Faraduro, Portugal (Leonid) 1972-73, The Square of Saint Mark's, Venice (Follower of Francesco Guardi), 1973-80, Leaving the Manor House (American 19th Century) - 1973-93, Washington at Valley Forge (American 19th Century) 1974-82, The Flags, Saint Mark's, Venice - Fête Day (Eugène Vail) 1974-82, Slaves' Dance - Saukie (George Catlin)) - 1976-77, 1977-78, Catlin and Indian Attacking Buffalo (George Catlin) 1976-77, Vapor Bath - Minatarree (George Catlin) - 1976-77 Fruit and Flowers (American 19th Century) - 1977-81, Southern Resort Town (Dana Smith) 1977-78, Stylized Landscape (American 19th Century) - 1977-80, The Taj Mahal (Erastus Salisbury Field) 1980-81, Southern Resort Town (Dana Smith) 1984-1993, Composition (Hans Hartung), 1976-77, Untitled (Enrique Castro-Cid) - Marble Mantel (Karl Knaths) 1980-1993, 1988-89, Behind the Scenes (Jean-Louis Forain) 1987-98, Race Course at Longchamps (French 19th Century) - 1989-91, The Island of Raguenez, Brittany (Henri Moret) - 1989-96, Flowers in a Classical Vase (French 17th Century) - 1989, Heaton Park Races (John Ferneley) 1989-1994, Paris, rue du Havre (Jean Béraud) 1989-?, 

I am reasonably confident these lists are incomplete, as there are no listed pieces of art loaned after the early 1990s. The only exception was a painting of George Washington that moved from Justice Scalia's chambers to Chief Justice Roberts's chambers. Maybe these records are no longer kept public? Or maybe the Justices no longer borrow art?

I hope these lists are useful to those who know something about art--I do not.

Update: This 2012 article from the Wasingtonian lists some of Ginsburg's art on loan:

But there has been one constant. The now 79-year-old Ginsburg is surrounded by art, as she has been since childhood. A small Bose stereo fills her chambers with opera music—one of her lifelong loves and an appropriate soundtrack for such a regal setting. Her walls boast works on loan from the Smithsonian, including two original Rothkos, a painting by Max Weber, and one by Josef Albers. (Another Albers painting, which usually hangs in her chambers, is currently part of a traveling exhibit. Ginsburg vows that she won't retire until it returns.)

The loans for the two Rothkos were recorded by the National Gallery of Art. The others were not.

Frieze offered some more details about the Albers:

The Ginsburgs could not afford to buy the signed screenprint, but they bought and treasured an Albers reproduction from the museum shop. Eventually, Ruth Bader Ginsburg had, in her office at the Supreme Court, two Albers oil paintings from this same series. She chose them with utmost care. Both belonged to government institutions. In 2011, when Variant: On Tideland (1947–55) – on loan to the Supreme Court from the National Museum of American Art – was removed from her office wall for a touring show, Ginsburg was asked in an interview with NPR legal correspondent Nina Totenburg when she might retire. 'Not until I get my Albers back,' she replied.

An Alber print was auctioned after Ginsburg's passing.

Comments

[Riva]

Sorry but how is this a perk? What federal law exactly entitles a supreme court justice to borrow such art?

[Swede425]

"Dogs Playing Poker" absent from the list?

[GKHoff]

Nor did I find a Velvet Elvis.

[Brett Bellmore]

The National Gallery also loans art to Congress and the Executive. It's not just the Supreme court getting these.

National Portrait Gallery Loans to Offices of High-Ranking Government Officials Program Policy

"High ranking government officials include the President, Vice President, Cabinet Secretaries, Supreme Court Justices, the Mayor of the District of Columbia, and certain leadership positions in Congress. Senate leadership positions include Majority and Minority Leaders, the Majority and Minority Whip and President Pro Tempore. House leadership positions include Speaker of the House, Majority and Minority Leaders, Majority and Minority Whips, and Deputy Majority Whip."

[David Nieporent]

Other sites say that they even lend to consulates from time to time. I looked to see if there were any relevant laws, but it just appears to be part of the National Gallery's policy; there's no specific law saying that it has to be done or that it's actually a formal perk of being a Justice. They of course — like all museums — also lend to other museums.

[vampire flames]

Justice O'Connor's interest in Catlin Indian paintings is interesting, as is Justice Ginsberg's interest in The Omen.

[Gregory]

I imagine most state governments have a similar arrangement. Government buildings need decoration, and there's a political interest in curating the selection to reflect the artwork of that jurisdiction. As a state court clerk I went with our judge to our state art gallery, though we were both philistines and eventually just asked the person tending shop to choose with some vague guidance from us.

[Sarcastr0]

A new fun trip would be to go to the NGA and identify what paintings are meaningful to you such that they would request for your office were you in some high position.

My go-to favorites are all hanging in the Capitol already.

[ModerateSenior51]

Abigail Adams's portrait is in Justice Amy Coney Barrett's Supreme Court chambers, as mentioned in her book. Gilbert Stuart was the painter. NGA website indicates it is displayed at The West Building Ground Floor, Gallery G41-B, so the records may not have been kept up to date.

[Riva]

It is appalling that these pampered elitists can take art owned by the public for their private office collections. They have enough perks. I would advise ending this spoils program asap. Yesterday would suffice.

[Sarcastr0]

Try and be less of a bot. What is the purpose of art? Is it just a flex to you?

[Riva]

Try and be less of a parrot troll, you fucking obnoxious little hypocritical ass. Is it just a flex to you? I'm not opining on the purpose of art. I'm commenting on some elitist pricks appropriating public owned art for their private enjoyment.

[Bill Poser]

Art galleries and museums generally have far more objects than they can display at any given time. Unless the Justices are taking extremely famous items that would otherwise constantly be on public display, they aren't depriving the public of anything.

[Riva]

Then loan them out to other museums across the country. What they should NOT do is provide material for the private collections of these elitist pricks.

[Carl_N_Brown]

"It is appalling that these pampered elitists can take art owned by the public for their private office collections."

The loaned art is still owned by the public; it does not become part of the justice's private collections just because it's loaned to their government office.

When the justices retire or tire of the art, it goes back to that big government warehouse shown at the end of Raiders pf the Lost Ark to gather dust along with the Ark of the Covenant. That's appalling to me. At least in Justices' chambers they get dusted off to keep them presentable to visitors.

[David Nieporent]

The loaned art is still owned by the public; it does not become part of the justice's private collections just because it's loaned to their government office.

I hope Trump knows that!

[Brett Bellmore]

Between a public official who wants some classical art hanging in their space, and a narcissist like Fauci, I'll go with the classicist every time. (Though I'd give him a pass on the bobble head.)

As long as they're hanging the work in a publicly accessible area, (And the program terms I linked to do require that.) it's not just for their benefit.

[Sarcastr0]

It's like you couldn't do a comment that was normal, and had to add something partisan.

Thinking that there being a bobblehead of you is cool is kind of normal? It doesn't strike me as narcissistic. But then you've never hesitated to find villains as required by your partisanship.

[Carl_N_Brown]

Context: A New York Post article quoted social media branding Fauci a “narcissist” for having a portrait and bobblehead of himself in his home.

[Brett Bellmore]

Double context: And I'd linked to it in my comment!

And I'd give him a pass on the bobble head, if somebody was making a bobble head with my head on it, yeah, it would be cool to have one. But having a giant oil painting of yourself hanging in your office so that it's in front of you all the time? Yeah, that's the sort of thing you have to be something of a narcissist to do.

[Sarcastr0]

Having been to a decent amonut of rich people's houses, you're setting your bar way too low.

It's a kinda common thing, bad taste or no.

[David Nieporent]

Yeah, but I'll bet Fauci didn't use funds earmarked for charitable purposes to purchase the painting for himself!

[Ridgeway]

Brett -- check out the one hanging in the hall of the WH.

https://nypost.com/2025/12/01/us-news/first-lady-unveils-wh-christmas-decorations/

[Brett Bellmore]

Nice, and I have framed photos of family members including myself in various places around the house. But in my office, in my direct field of view?

My wife, my late mother, my son. Not ME.

Here's Trump's office. Portraits of select predecessors, but, no portrait of himself.

I think I'm going to stand by this judgement: Only a narcissist puts a giant portrait of themselves in front of their desk so that if fills their field of view any time they look up.

[gormadoc]

I'm surprised nobody checked out any John Singer Sargent works.

[Southron]

I was especially interested in the very last part, dealing with the fondness which Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg had for the work of Josef Albers. When he left the Bauhaus in Germany and came to the United States in the 1930s, he went to Black Mountain College in Black Mountain, North Carolina. Both my parents were students there and met there and lived there for a year after their marriage. My father sat at “the German -speaking table” at Black Mountain College, which was presided over by the man my father called “ Herr Albers”, and learned the art of silk screening from Albers.

[Gasman]

Hmmm. What would Justice Potter have had on his walls.
After all, he knows it when he sees it.