Michelle Obama met with 2-year-old girl who was looking in awe at the former First Lady’s portrait

The girl's mother says she is 'just trying to raise a little girl who has opportunities to see women who look like her doing great things'

Former US First Lady Michelle Obama looks at her newly unveiled portrait during a ceremony at the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery, on 12 February 2018 in Washington, DC. (Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

After 2-year-old Parker Curry was caught on camera staring in awe at Michelle Obama’s portrait, the toddler got to meet her in real life.

The former First Lady’s portrait, done by artist Amy Sherald, hangs in the National Portrait Gallery in Washington DC where Parker was photographed by Ben Hines, a tourist waiting to view the portrait.

Jessica Curry, Parker’s mom and a small business owner in DC, said to Buzzfeed News: "I was trying to get her to turn around so I could take a picture, but she wouldn't cooperate. She just wanted to stare at it. She was fascinated."

Ms Curry told CNN that Parker thinks Ms Obama is a “queen”.

"I’m also thinking about all of the young people, particularly girls and girls of colour, who, in years ahead, will come to this place and they will look up and they will see an image of someone who looks like them hanging on the wall of this great American institution," Ms Obama said in a speech at the portrait unveiling.

Mr Hines, who had been waiting in line behind the Parkers to view the portrait, captioned the image: “we were delighted to wait in line behind this fellow art lover & hopeful patriot”.

He told Buzzfeed News that the picture he posted “shows awe and wonder, but there's also just real joy among those viewing it."

"It was so touching and uplifting for me to see this beautiful child looking at a beautiful portrait of a powerful woman," Mr Hines said.

Ms Curry "didn't realise it would be so moving to so many people," about the image that has been shared thousands of times across social media and sparked the resurgence of the #representationmatters hashtag.

"In the world we live in today, I'm just trying to raise a little girl who has opportunities to see women who look like her doing great things," Ms Curry said.

Ms Sherald saw the picture as well and shared it on her Instagram account, to which Ms Obama replied with three heart-eyed emojis.

The artist told the story of her first trip to a museum as a child and the emotions she felt when she saw a black man in a painting "that looked like he could be my father...I didn't realise that none of them had me in them until I saw that painting of [artist Bo Bartlett's]. I knew I wanted to be an artist already, but seeing that painting made me realise that I could".

The former First Lady then posted a video of her and Parker dancing to Taylor Swift’s “Shake it Off”.

She posted on Twitter: "Parker, I'm so glad I had the chance to meet you today (and for the dance party)! Keep on dreaming big for yourself...and maybe one day I'll proudly look up at a portrait of you!"

Artist Kehinde Wiley painted the vibrant portrait of former President Barack Obama, which is also hanging in the National Portrait Gallery.