Chez PLJ

The Obama family visits a confident Abe on Tuesday (Gerald Herbert/Reuters)

I had a laugh at the photos of Obama when he was speaking at the pre-inaugural concert at the Lincoln Memorial yesterday: it looks more than a tad surprised, unlike just a few days before when he visited with his family.

But by Sunday, Abe seems kinda surprised. (Jason Reed/Reuters)

What happened? What did he say? Why the sudden split between the Illinois boys? Lighting of the sculpture. This is a known effect. From one of our art books:

The “startled statue” is an accidental effect of light and shadow. The sculptor of the Lincoln Memorial, Daniel Chester French, was so concerned about the potential of light to alter Lincoln’s expression that he sent the commission responsible for the memorial a photo showing: (A) how it should be lit, and (B) how it should under no circumstances be lit.

…In correct lighting, eyebrows [give the] impression of lowered, thoughtful brows. Incorrect lighting from below cast shadows…which appear like raised, arched eyebrows;…Eyelids repeat [the] pattern…[making the] upper lid appear enormously high above iris;

The Artist’s Complete Guide to Facial Expression, pg. 266
Gary Faigin

This isn’t the first time the instructions have been ignored, Bush Sr. and Quayle were at a pre-inaugural ceremony and the same thing was done.

Uh, guys? The artist usually has a decent idea about what he’s talking about…Oh, well, it’s an amusing lesson in how easy it is to draw a cartoon.