Art Wednesday: Richard Stone

Jessica

Artist: Richard Stone

Born in the United Kingdom

Royal Portrait Painter

In last week's Art Wednesday I included a painting of the Queen Mother by the royal portrait painter Richard Stone.  I wanted to share more of his portraits with you - they are rather good. 

Richard Stone has painted portraits of the Royal Family for nearly three decades. At the age of 22 he became Britain's youngest royal portrait artist since Sir Thomas Lawrence painted Queen Charlotte in 1790 at the age of 21. Although he has had little formal art training, Richard Stone's success is a direct result of a natural talent and a strong determination to succeed in the career he has pursued since childhood.   Born in 1951 the son of a Colchester postman, Stone began cultivating his talent following an accident at the age of four that left him with a fractured skull and permanent deafness in his right ear. (source: link)

Even though Richard Stone is best known for his royal portraits, he also does commission work of less well known people.  The painting above is a very special commission and according to Stone's website "Jessica’s portrait was one of the most emotionally charged commissions I have ever been given. Little Jessica had been diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour. Her parents approached me in the closing months of her short life, in the hope that I could capture a little something of her spirit."I think he most certain has captured her spirit. 

 Miss Helen Campbell-Peston (red chalk)

This drawing was done in preparation for an oil portrait, the family didn't want to keep the drawing - what a pity as it beautiful.   Daughter of Mrs Frances (later Dame Frances) Campbell-Preston, one of the ladies-in-waiting to the Queen Mother. Stone was commissioned to do a series of drawings as a wedding present from Mrs Campbell-Preston to her prospective son-in-law.

Sir Evelyn de Rothschild

Lady de Rothschild felt that a plain background was too stark and made the suggestion that a painting of Sir Evelyn’s father should be included. Coincidentally, this portrait happens to include several more of Sir Evelyn’s ancestors, creating an appropriate reference to his distinguished family.

Queen Elizabeth II, painted in 1990

Her Royal Highness, the Duchess of Gloucester

 This painting was commissioned by the Royal Army Dental Corps!!

 The Duchess was so pleased with the finished portrait that she asked Stone to send a photograph of it to her dressmaker.

Baroness Margaret Thatcher, 2001

The project was very fast-paced, and from ‘conception to birth’ was completed in the space of eight weeks – not only finished and framed, but actually at a reception for £256,000, with additional proceeds from 100 specially produced lithographs continuing to swell the Tory Party coffers.
It was painted not longer after her husbands death.

Nelson Mandela
According to Stone "On seeing the work for himself, Mr. Mandela smiled broadly and clutched my hand in his. His eyes twinkled and I guess for such a modest man, he felt that the portrait did him justice."

 Miss Caitlin Curry
This is a small sketch (postcard size) done as a surprise birthday gift for her father.

 Master William Stone, aged 4, 1998
The artist's son.  He did not want to wear this outfit and the artist had to result to bribery in the end!

Her Royal Highness the Countess of Wessex, 2006

Mrs Sandra Howard
I love the creases in her skirt, very normal and natural - I wonder if Stone would paint the Queen with a crease in her dress!

Richard Stone painting Koko


~oOo~