Havel's gift for Obama to be displayed in Prague gallery

Prague, April 7 (CTK) - A portrait of U.S. President Barack Obama by Spanish artist Jose-Maria Cano, which former Czech president Vaclav Havel gave to Obama during his visit to Prague this weekend, will be on display in Prague's DOX gallery on April 9-22, Nada Machkova, from the gallery, has told CTK.

Afterwards the 210x149.5 centimetre large portrait created by encaustic technique (hot wax painting) will be sent to the White House.

"Jose-Maria Cano has generously offered this painting to Vaclav Havel as a gift for Barack Obama," DOX director Leos Valka said.

Havel selected this artifact when he was visiting the exhibition of Cano's portraits of leading world personalities titled "Welcome to Capitalism" held in DOX from October, 2008 to February.

Valka said Havel liked Cano's works and this is why he proposed that he give exactly this portrait to Obama.

Obama and his wife Michelle arrived in Prague last Saturday evening. On Sunday, Obama delivered his major public speech and attended the EU-U.S. summit. Then he met Havel in private shortly before his departure.