WASHINGTON: Former US president George W. Bush made no effort to hide his Pakistani counterpart Pervez Musharraf’s grey hair when he painted him.

The former military ruler’s moustache looks almost entirely grey in this portrait which will be put on display on Friday at the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum in Dallas, Texas, along with those of two dozen other world leaders. All painted by Mr Bush.

Mr Musharraf, or his hairdresser, made a special effort to leave a streak of grey on his temple perhaps to give him an intellectual look. But Mr Bush did not. Instead, he painted the hair almost white, which contrasts sharply with the jet black hair on his head, for everyone to see that those were dyed.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has black patches around his eyes, one circling his eyebrow too. With his cap and the beard, Mr Karzai looks more like a religious scholar than a politician.

A half-hidden smile is the most prominent feature on Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s radiant face. Even the grey beard does not make him look old.

The most menacing portrait is that of former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert and the one that shows the artist making a lot of efforts to leave a positive impression on the viewers is that of Dalai Lama.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has a stony face without any trace of emotions, negative or positive.

The exhibition, “The Art of Leadership: A President’s Diplomacy”, begins on Friday and runs through to June 3.

The Washington Post reported that for the past few years Mr Bush has been “ensconced in his man cave-turned-studio” in his Dallas home, painting landscapes, portraits of world leaders and self-portraits of himself in the bathtub and shower.

While talking to reporters, Mr Bush said the portraits were done in the “spirit of friendship”.

He was also interviewed by his daughter Jenna Bush Hager for NBC’s “Today” show, claiming that he focused on the psychology of the people he painted, and that at age 67, he’s still nervous to show his mother his work.