Portrait of Lady Bird Johnson by Boris Artzybasheff | 3/31/2009

Claudia Taylor’s nursemaid declared that she was as pretty as a “ladybird,” a nickname that stuck with her through her entire life. Lady Bird Johnson graduated from high school at age fifteen and earned two degrees at the University of Texas: a B.A. in 1933 and a degree in journalism in 1934. That same year, she met Lyndon Johnson, a young legislative secretary. After a brief courtship—best characterized by her statement that “sometimes Lyndon simply takes your breath away”—they were married.

Devoted to her husband’s political career, Lady Bird Johnson ran his office during World War II and in 1955, after he suffered a heart attack. The couple had two daughters. As first lady, Lady Bird was active in Head Start and her promotion of the Highway Beautification Act.

The National Portrait Gallery’s Amy Baskette recently discussed this portrait of Lady Bird Johnson by Boris Artzybasheff at a Face-to-Face portrait talk. The work is displayed on the museum’s second floor, in the exhibition “America’s Presidents.”  The portrait was originally created for Time magazine's August 28, 1964, edition.

>> Listen to Amy Baskette's Face-to-Face talk on Lady Bird Johnson (13:36)

Face-to-Face occurs every Thursday evening at the National Portrait Gallery. The next Face-to-Face talk is this Thursday, April 2, when researcher Warren Perry speaks about Toni Morrison. The talk runs from 6:00 to 6:30 p.m. Visitors meet the presenter in the museum’s F Street lobby and then walk to the appropriate gallery.