Tuesday, May 14, 2024

King Charles III’s new portrait by Jonathan Yeo

King Charles III by Jonathan Yeo

I think it’s brilliant! 

Very vivid and engaging. Artistic and beautiful.

I like the atmosphere of the painting, but it’s HRH’s face that is most absorbing. It grows on you.

I think his face has the faint lineaments of a smile, but I also sense some melancholy or pathos.

Alastair Sooke has written that the portrait reveals “a vulnerability the late Queen was rarely allowed”. He “isn’t entirely sure of himself”. I don't think he is uncertain or anxious. But the heaviness of the eyebrows, the kindly wrinkles, and the narrowness of the eyes hint at some kind of sadness.

11 comments:

  1. It's a remarkable likeness of the King. But what's the point of the bright red background?

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    1. Hello Nick.

      So, in my view, it's worth asking whether you really "need" a "background" at all. Most portraitures involve some basic abstractions ... even as far back as Botticelli's Portrait of a Youth.
      https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0c/Sandro_Botticelli%2C_Portrait_of_a_Youth%2C_c._1482-1485%2C_NGA_21.jpg

      Picasso's self-portrait positions himself against some abstract background which is quite beautiful and that focuses the mind on the subject
      https://www.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/pablo-picasso-self-portraits-chronology-7.jpg

      Van gogh didn't actually look anything like the little speckles in which he painted himself anymore than his background.
      https://36.media.tumblr.com/8282b2fc04a2c3484f2fa2a6979fb1b9/tumblr_o4vpjogXOH1s0u653o1_1280.jpg

      I checked Jonathan Yeo's portrait of Tony Blair. It's v. similar to Charles. The red/maroon colour may be inspired by HRH's miliary garb?
      https://www.jonathanyeo.com/cara-1-68

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  2. Wow -Christine cmlk79.blogspot.com

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  3. I don't think the Charles in the painting resembles the one I usually see in the Media. However, it's quite am impressive piece of art!

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  4. It looks like he is immersed in the hellfire.

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  5. It's a reasonable likeness but the immersion in red/pink does nothing to improve it.

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  6. It captures his face beautifully and I like the idea of a butterfly. Many do not know or at least mock King Charles 11 for his green ideas. Of the articles written by him in a green magazine he seems genuine. The red is a bit off putting but then it makes you focus on his face.

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  7. He is a sensitive, very human soul. I have always liked him.
    With my colour vision, I would not know about the red if it had not been mentioned.

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  8. I think the artist has caught Charles face so well ... but I'm not keen on all the red surround.

    All the best Jan

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  9. I missed this post so commenting now.
    I love this, it's different from the normal portraits. The likeness is great and that smirk on his face is typical of photos and videos I've seen from afar.

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