austrian-american artist and white house portraitist martha greta kempton, an austrian-american artist, left an indelible mark on the art world with her captivating portraits that adorned the walls of the white house during the truman administration. born in vienna in 1901, kempton's artistic journey traversed the globe, reflecting her unique blend of european heritage and american adoption. early life and education kempton's formative years were spent at the vienna academy of fine arts, where she honed her skills in the traditional european style. her move to the united states in the 1920s m…