Photo credit: © Lucy Sutton-Long
The first official portrait of King Charles III, painted by Jonathan Yeo, is on exhibition at the Philip Mould Gallery until 21 June.
The portrait
Commissioned by The Drapers Company, the portrait measures 2.59m by 1.98m. It shows the King in the uniform of the Welsh Guards with sword in hand and the beautiful touch of a butterfly landing on the King’s shoulder – the butterfly referencing his interest in the environment and symbolising metamorphosis and rebirth. Most striking is the red theme; the red of the uniform merges into the background which accentuates the King’s profile.
The artist
Self-taught British artist Jonathan Yeo has an impressive portfolio of works including portraits of Her Majesty the Queen, Malala Yousafzai, Grayson Perry and Ozwald Boateng. Damien Hurst perfectly described Yeo’s works: “Like Turner strapping himself to the ship’s mast in order to create a true likeness of a storm, time and time again he achieves what should be impossible: creating a true picture, an image or a glimpse, of people we think we know and those we’ve never met. He gives us complete portraits made up of tiny fragments.”
The commission
Yeo’s portrait of the King was commissioned by the fourteenth-century Drapers’ Company, who exhibit royal portraiture at their Hall in the centre of London.
Philip Mould Gallery
Philip Mould specialises in British art from the Tudor period to the twentieth century, as well as portraiture and portrait miniatures. Philip Mould Gallery can be found at 18-19 Pall Mall. It’s a twenty-minute walk from Hertford Street or can be reached in similar time by taking the bus from Piccadilly.
Also in the area
The National Gallery
National Portrait Gallery
Buckingham Palace