Carlos III already has a framed portrait. The first depiction of the monarch in oil on canvas is by the artist Alastair Barford, a young artist who was a beneficiary of a Queen Elizabeth II fund and depicted the King wearing an indigenous armband.
The job was done in two weeks. The King did not pose for the artist, but had the opportunity to study, photograph and sketch his model in action during a reception at Buckingham Palace in February in favor of biodiversity. In this act, the King received a bracelet offered to him by the indigenous leader of the Amazon, Domingo Peas, and with it he was portrayed for this painting, according to The Telegraph. The accessory provides context and authenticity to the work, as a symbol of the King’s activity against climate change and in defense of sustainability, the newspaper explains.
“I wanted to capture his cordiality and sensitivity, the empathy that transpired in his interactions with the people he was with,” said the artist, quoted by the British media. “It was important that he capture a sympathetic expression.” According to Sky News, the artist wanted to capture a “personal and intimate” image of her Majesty and therefore decided to portray him in a suit, rather than ceremonial attire.
According to Sky News, the artist wanted to capture a “personal and intimate” image of His Majesty and therefore decided to portray him in a suit, rather than ceremonial attire.
Alastair Barford is 36 years old and studied painting in Florence on a scholarship from the Queen Elizabeth II Scholarship Fund (Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust) and in 2015 his first commission was a portrait of the monarch. The author posted an image of the painting on his Instagram account.
Portrait of King Charles III, by Alastair Barford. @Instagram/allastairbarford
“It was a terrifying honor,” the artist was quoted as saying by the Telegraph. “It is a great responsibility to create a portrait of someone who means so much to so many people. If you are painting someone you know, you bring certain prejudices to painting,” added the artist. “Although I don’t know the King, he has been a constant presence in our lives. Therefore, reconciling this ‘king idea’ with the reference material I gathered was a challenge.”
This is not an official portrait of the King, but it will be the first commissioned portrait to reach the public since the beginning of his reign, last September. The work will be on the cover of the Illustrated Coronation Edition magazine, published by the Illustrated London News group on March 30, in what will be a special issue dedicated to the King’s coronation.
The King’s portrait was made public the day Charles III and Queen Camila began their first state trip to Germany. This visit was scheduled to start in France last Sunday, but the Élysée Palace was canceled due to the growing wave of violence from protests in Paris and Bordeaux.
Source: Observadora
