KENNEDY (JOHN F.)
Colour portrait photograph depicting John F. Kennedy sitting behind the Resolute desk in the Oval Office, by Robert LeRoy Knudsen, signed and inscribed in black ink on the mount to his brother-in-law Peter Lawford ('For Peter – who helped make this picture possible – with all of the best – Jack – '), light toning, slight discolouration to mount, image c.440 x 370mm., framed and glazed, overall 660 x 580mm., unexamined out of frame, Washington, [2 November 1961]
Footnotes:
'FOR PETER – WHO HELPED MAKE THIS PICTURE POSSIBLE': PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY'S GRATEFUL DEDICATION TO HIS BROTHER-IN-LAW PETER LAWFORD.

Glamorous British actor Peter Lawford (1923-1984) married Kennedy's younger sister Patricia in 1954 and became a US citizen in 1960 in time to vote and campaign for his brother-in-law and the Democrats in the presidential election of the same year. Friends with the Rat Pack 'board members' Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis, Jr., he garnered their support for Kennedy and was instrumental in coaching Kennedy for his crucial debate against Richard Nixon. Lawford (affectionately known as 'brother-in-Lawford') therefore held a unique position at the intersection of politics and showbusiness, to the mutual benefit of both. It was through Lawford, via Sinatra, that Kennedy met Marilyn Monroe and he has been dubbed 'the man who kept the secrets' for his discretion and connections.

Robert LeRoy Knudsen (1929-1989) served as the White House photographer during the administrations of five Presidents from Truman to Nixon. Among his most famous photographs were the series of John Kennedy, Jr. as a toddler in the Oval Office of May 1962, and he was also to take Kennedy's autopsy photographs a year later. A smaller copy of this photograph is held in the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, accession no. KN.C19364, which confirms the date of the sitting and photographer.