King Charles III, first official portrait unveiled! Any thoughts?

[marylander1940]

 

[marylander1940]

Somehow reminds me of:

The True Story Behind Charles and Camilla's Phone Sex Leak

TIME.COM

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Charles and Camilla really did have that conversation—but 'The Crown' skips over some details.

Edited May 15, 2024 by marylander1940

[mike carey]

I'm entirely unsure what the second post has to do with the thread. Is there some other motive for starting a thread ostensibly about a portrait?

On the topic at hand, it is the first new portrait of the King, but it depicts him in the uniform of the Welsh Guards, and was commissioned when he was Prince of Wales before his accession to the throne. I quite like it, but it is quite a contrast to this portrait (currently part of an exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra.

[SouthOfTheBorder]

the same, but different 

Lauren Sanchez - 2024, White House State Dinner for Japan 

Edited May 15, 2024 by SouthOfTheBorder

[BonVivant]

Very cool. Very modern. 

[marylander1940]

23 minutes ago, SouthOfTheBorder said:

the same, but different 

Lauren Sanchez - 2024, White House State Dinner for Japan 

 

 

[pubic_assistance]

Hideous.

It looks like his head is swimming in afterbirth.

 

[wsc]

It is, to my taste, a bit over the top. However, the King has always regarded himself with a sort of avant-garde flair, except where architecture is concerned, so his acceptance of this work is not surprising.

Certainly not the kind of "acceptance" Churchill gave to his portrait by Graham Sutherland on the occasion of Sir Winston's retirement from office and active politics. Churchill hated this depiction of himself and said -tongue in cheek- at its presentation in Westminster Hall, "... it is a remarkable example of modern art. The subject, however, is not." Privately he is reported as saying "It makes me look as if I were straining a stool." It was so disliked by both Winston and Lady Churchill that years later they burned it at their country home in Kent.

[CuriousByNature]

8 minutes ago, sync said:

If the King is okay with it, so be it.  For me it has a disturbing undertone.  I'm curious about the butterfly.

I think it's a Monarch butterfly.  Charles is a monarch too.  And I think he also used to be a caterpillar.  

[+ sync]

3 minutes ago, CuriousByNature said:

I think it's a Monarch butterfly.  Charles is a monarch too.  And I think he also used to be a caterpillar.  

Actually, I just found an explanation:

The Yeo portrait

If the first official portrait of the King to be unveiled since his Coronation is anything to go by, symbols of his devotion to ecological causes are likely to remain a leading leitmotif of royal iconography throughout his reign. The larger-than-life likeness, which measures 8ft 6in by 6ft 6in, is the work of British artist Jonathan Yeo, who has previously painted the King's father, Prince Philip, the late Duke of Edinburgh, and Charles's wife, Queen Camilla. Here, the uniformed figure of Charles appears to be emerging from a heavy haze – a vivid vermillion mist that tinges everything save the King's incongruously serene face, his sympathetic hands (which rest on his sword's pommel), and a small monarch butterfly about to land on his sovereign shoulder.

[+ nycman]

I think it does a good job of capturing his likeness, but overall I think it’s a butt-ugly portrait trying to pass as "high art". 

Some of the artist’s other work is more impressive, some not.

https://www.jonathanyeo.com/welcome/

 

Edited January 25 by nycman

[wsc]

On 1/24/2025 at 9:59 AM, sync said:

Actually, I just found an explanation:

The Yeo portrait

If the first official portrait of the King to be unveiled since his Coronation is anything to go by, symbols of his devotion to ecological causes are likely to remain a leading leitmotif of royal iconography throughout his reign. The larger-than-life likeness, which measures 8ft 6in by 6ft 6in, is the work of British artist Jonathan Yeo, who has previously painted the King's father, Prince Philip, the late Duke of Edinburgh, and Charles's wife, Queen Camilla. Here, the uniformed figure of Charles appears to be emerging from a heavy haze – a vivid vermillion mist that tinges everything save the King's incongruously serene face, his sympathetic hands (which rest on his sword's pommel), and a small monarch butterfly about to land on his sovereign shoulder.

In addition to being a link to Charles' interest in environmental issues, the butterfly also represents the completion of Charles' metamorphosis from Prince of Wales to King, as in the similar transformation of a caterpillar becoming a butterfly.

BTW, as a side note from an old panel of The Family Circus cartoon - Why is it called a butterfly? Shouldn't it be called a flutterby?

[Nightwinter]

I think it’s pretty impressive! He looks very dignified and calm, which really suits his role as the monarch. The colors and the way he’s dressed give off a sense of tradition, but also something fresh about his personality. It’s kind of nice to see how the royal family’s portraits have evolved over time. 

If you’re into prints, it might even be worth framing. By the way, I came across a site called Nixplay, which makes digital frames that would be perfect for showcasing portraits like this one! Check it out here: Nixplay.