French, American first ladies take in Cezanne on museum outing

Elegantly matched in white outfits, Melania Trump and Brigitte Macron split off from their husbands on Tuesday to visit a Paul Cezanne exhibit at Washington's National Gallery of Art. The American and French first ladies spent about half an hour visiting the show of 59 portraits by the 19th century French painter, the first ever dedicated to this aspect of his work. Trump and Macron were accompanied on the tour of the downtown Washington gallery by Mary Morton, who co-curated the exhibit and heads the museum's department of French paintings. Both women wore impeccably tailored white dresses and high heels and the American first lady complemented her ensemble with a wide-brimmed white hat. "Paul Cezanne's work is a celebration," Melania Trump said in a statement released by the White House. "It was perfect timing to have these exquisite paintings in Washington while Mrs Macron was in town." Macron and Trump chatted together and with Morton and Frank Kelly, senior curator of American and British painting, as they toured the museum. Besides the Cezanne exhibit, the White House said they viewed paintings by 19th century American artist Mary Cassatt and the "Ginevra de' Benci," the only painting by Leonardo da Vinci in the Americas. - First state dinner - "Everyone understands the language of art," Melania Trump said. "The historically famous and beautiful works that currently live in the National Gallery of Art are breathtaking." Asked by a journalist if she was enjoying her visit to Washington, Brigitte Macron replied in English: "Very nice, thank you." The pair of first ladies appear to have struck up a warm relationship despite their age difference and the initial wariness between their husbands. At 65, Brigitte Macron is 25 years older than her husband while Melania Trump, at 47, is 24 years younger than Donald Trump. Both women have a passion for children's education -- Macron is a former teacher -- and high fashion. They also both have husbands elected in presidential races they were not initially expected to win. Brigitte and Emmanuel Macron arrived in Washington on Monday for their three-day visit. They were given a welcoming ceremony full of pomp and circumstance and a 21-gun salute at the White House early Tuesday. The Trumps will host the French couple Tuesday evening for an elegant state dinner at the White House, the first of the Trump presidency. Melania Trump and her staff have spent months preparing for the event and the White House released pictures and a video of her overseeing the details. Late Monday, the US and French presidents and their wives dined at Mount Vernon, the home on the banks of the Potomac River of George Washington, the Revolutionary War hero and first American president. Brigitte Macron and Melania Trump have met previously at NATO and G7 summits and, most notably, during the Trumps' visit to Paris in July of last year. During that visit, the Macrons and the Trumps shared an intimate dinner in the Eiffel Tower, while Brigitte Macron and Melania Trump visited the Cathedral of Notre Dame together.