Print shop offer would save government thousands in portrait costs

After finding out the federal government had spent at least $180,000 this year alone on painted portraits of officials, one printing company thinks it can help.

According to a Washington Times article, it costs an average of $40,000 to commission an official portrait, and there are many higher-ups in the government who get to have their likeness forever captured in oil pastels.

CafePress, an online printing outlet, has written an open letter to the House of Representatives suggesting that the government use them for portrait painting, offering “museum quality art at a savings of 99%.”

“We in no way intend to imply that portraits of outgoing Cabinet and top administration appointees are unimportant; to the contrary we are fans of art in all formats,” the letter reads. “We do however suggest that we can provide a model for saving money on this program.”

Instead of $40,000, CafePress says it will charge $350 for a 3 foot by 4 foot canvas portrait that can be completed in less than a week, as opposed to the eight to 14 months the government currently waits.

In addition to saving thousands of dollars, CafePress also touts that all their products are made in America, so every purchase of a portrait “helps the economy and helps keep jobs in America.”

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