stood. Former Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich personally thanked Cromartie for the portrait in a letter calling it, "an exceptional and truly beautiful work of art." Perhaps the most personal of all James H. Cromartie's historical commissions was that which he received to paint the official portrait of the White House, as Cromartie's fourth great-grandfather, James Hoban, designed it. The portrait was personally received by President Ronald Reagan and would later be chosen, along with Cromartie's portrait of the Capitol, by the U.S. State Department to feature prominently in the U.S. Embassy in Moscow. James H. Cromartie's latest commissioned historical portrait of the U.S. Supreme Court rounded out his career as "one of America's leading historical artists," and is thus affectionately referred to by him as the “third jewel.” Reception James H. Cromartie's oeuvre has enjoyed a warm reception both critically and commercially. Kirk M. Crist of the Naples Daily News recognized Cromartie early on as being, "truly on the threshold of one of the most brilliant art careers this country has ever known." Paul Chelko, former art critic for the Atlanta Journal, effusively praised Cromartie's work, writing, "brilliance cannot be defined, nor genius denied, it is all here…what Grant Wood, Edward Hopper, Andrew Wyeth, and many others have done, artistic evolution it seems, has granted us something more." James H. Cromartie has amassed a number of celebrity collectors to date including Tom Brokaw, Roger Firestone, Princess Diana, Steve Forbes, Nelson Rockefeller, and Robert Duvall. References Living people American artists 1944 births