Random Doodles From Oval Office: Presidential Drawings (14 items)

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  (#1) Herbert Hoover

  • Dec. at 90 (1874-1964)

  Herbert Hoover's artwork is pure abstraction — he loved to draw geometrical shapes and scribbles.
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  (#2) George H. W. Bush

  • 95

  George H. W. Bush didn't doodle often, but he did at least once on this memo to his secretary, Rose Zamiria. In response to a request to sign letters, Bush wrote that one intended recipient passed away, which led him to draw a crying face in the upper-right-hand corner.
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  (#3) Lyndon B. Johnson

  • Dec. at 65 (1908-1973)

  Lyndon B. Johnson's doodles show a propensity for the absurd. Often depicting strange figures, Johnson's art has an air of playfulness about it. 
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  (#4) Andrew Jackson

  • Dec. at 78 (1767-1845)

  Andrew Jackson's alligator drawing could be a reference to John Quincy Adams, who kept a pet alligator while in the Oval Office. It could also be a comment on his military prowess — a song about Jackson's military brigade referred to the soldiers as half horse, half alligator. Or maybe it's just a cute alligator.
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  (#5) Dwight D. Eisenhower

  • Dec. at 79 (1890-1969)

  On a meeting memo, Dwight D. Eisenhower drew an image of himself with what appears to be several ships behind him and the word "Guatemala" above. Given the concerns of the era, it's no surprise that all three images were on the same memo: just one day before, the president of Guatemala was deposed by CIA-backed forces.
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  (#6) John F. Kennedy

  • Dec. at 46 (1917-1963)

  John F. Kennedy's many doodles are heavier on text than those of other presidents. He may have been using his artwork to process events of the time.
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  (#7) Thomas Jefferson

  • Dec. at 83 (1743-1826)

  Thomas Jefferson was a well-documented traveler with a real zest for the finer things in life. Naturally, his most famous doodle is that of a pasta machine. Later, Jefferson used a similar machine to serve pasta and cheese, a precursor to macaroni and cheese, to guests at the White House.
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  (#8) Theodore Roosevelt

  • Dec. at 61 (1858-1919)

  Theodore Roosevelt wrote illustrated letters to his children while in office, many of which survived thanks to his family.
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  (#9) Richard Nixon

  • Dec. at 81 (1913-1994)

  It's hard to imagine what exactly Richard Nixon was depicting, but the abstract, detailed geometric shapes suggest Nixon spent quite a lot of time idly doodling.
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  (#10) Ronald Reagan

  • Dec. at 93 (1911-2004)

  Ronald Reagan drew many doodles, especially in letters to his wife. Reagan's art consists of charming Americana: horses, cowboys, and football players.
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  (#11) Barack Obama

  • 58

  Though Barack Obama didn't produce much artwork while he was president, there is at least one detailed series of caricatures he drew for charity while he was an Illinois state senator.
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  (#12) Warren G. Harding

  • Dec. at 58 (1865-1923)

  Warren G. Harding was president in the early days of the Roaring Twenties. His blocky doodles represent the time period, with art deco-influenced lines and shapes.
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  (#13) Rutherford B. Hayes

  • Dec. at 71 (1822-1893)

  Rutherford B. Hayes drew this image of his wife, Lucy Webb, in "Diary of a Deferred Wedding Journey." It detailed a vacation the couple took eight years after they wed.
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  (#14) Jimmy Carter

  • 95

  Though the majority of Jimmy Carter's artwork was produced after he was president, he remained committed to his hobbies during his time in office. He produced paintings and poetry that reflected on his family and childhood memories. One of his pieces sold for $250,000.

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