White House Fights to Reclaim Iconic Rockwell Sketches at $2.5M Auction

In November 2025, the White House Historical Association is making a push to reclaim a series of iconic sketches by American painter Norman Rockwell that once adorned the walls of the West Wing. The four drawings, titled "So You Want to See the President!", were created in 1943 and depict a variety of people - from journalists to military officers - waiting in the White House lobby to meet President Franklin D. Roosevelt during World War II.

The sketches were originally gifted to Roosevelt's longtime press secretary, Stephen Early, by Rockwell himself. After a family dispute over their ownership, the drawings ended up at a Dallas-based auction house, where they are set to be sold on November 17th, 2025. With an opening bid of $2.5 million and auction house clients lining up to make offers, the White House Historical Association faces stiff competition in its bid to reclaim the Rockwell collection.

The association, which was created in 1961 to help preserve the museum-quality interior of the White House, believes the sketches rightfully belong in the presidential residence's vast art collection. They are seen as a unique and intimate portrayal of American democracy in action, offering a glimpse into the daily workings of the White House during FDR's administration.