On May 14, local time, the first portrait of King Charles III after the coronation of the United Kingdom was unveiled, but it really scared the British public, and many people said that it was difficult to understand this "unique" art style......
The portrait was placed in Buckingham Palace, and the 75-year-old Charles himself unveiled it, I don't know if he was shocked after seeing it, but he himself was still very calm at the time, and he had a feeling that he had seen the world.
The work was painted by renowned artist Jonathan Yeo, who was commissioned in 2020 to paint a portrait of Charles, then Prince of Wales, to celebrate his 50th anniversary as a member of The Drapers' Company. But since the death of the queen and Charles became king, the portrait is even more meaningful.
By the way, the "Drapers Company", once a religious group, now operates as a charitable, ceremonial and educational institution in which members of the royal families of many European countries are members, including the late Queen Elizabeth II.
The 2.3 m x 1.66 m portrait will be exhibited at the Philip Molde Gallery in London for a month after being admired by Charles himself.
Charles is shown in the uniform of the Welsh Guards (he was appointed colonel of the Guards in 1975) and with several medals on his chest, which of course requires a closer look, and at first glance the painting is a fiery red.
Such an extraordinary portrait is obviously not accepted and understood by most people, and there is a lot of discussion on social media, many people describe it as "weird", and accuse the artist Jonathan Young of ulterior motives.
"What do you mean by the large area of red like flames, does it mean that the king is in purgatory?" Someone raised such a question. There are also those who believe that Jonathan Young is most likely "anti-monarchy", using red to indicate "oppressed people". Some even feel that the portrait resembles Han Solo wrapped in carbonate from Star Wars.
The butterfly in the painting has also caused controversy, although the artist calls it a "monarch butterfly" and that its appearance was also suggested by Charles himself, but some people believe that it is a hint, "ephemeral and fragile." ”
Of course, there are also those who think that the portrait is innovative and captures the "soul" of Charles, "simply amazing, it captures the gentle and caring soul of the king." "I like this painting very much, it's colorful," someone else wrote.
"Since this is such an important image, it is important to give the public a chance to see it. It is an extraordinary work of art in 3D, and the owner of the gallery, Mr. Philippe Molde, who is also an art dealer, put it this way, "This is the most avant-garde portrait of the royal family in a long time." It depicts continuity, mystery, and divinity. Modern art is subversive and avant-garde. It's a big departure from a normal public offering, but it seems to me that Jonathan has done it. How to draw a modern monarch? He is a role model. ”