GillW
Courtier
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2006
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- United Kingdom
Can we try to list all the portrait photographers and artists-painters of Diana?
I know she has been photographed for portrait by Snowdon, Patrick Demarchelier, Mario Testino, and Tim Graham. For portrait painters, I only think of Nelson Shanks. What are some others? For a time, Demarchelier was her favorite. He took, among others, the black-and-white photos of Diana and her boys at Highgrove, where they are holding the rabbits. I think it is likely he took the Vogue ones too because he worked for Vogue.
Tim Graham of course took the famous ones of the Waleses at KP in different years, mostly in the early-to-mid 80s.
I think Snowdon took all the ones that are seen in the Christie's catalog. The Testino ones are just amazing, not hard to understand why they are her sons' favorite of her.
Are you trying to list only official "portraits" painted of Diana -which for me means only those where she granted sittings to the artist. Or do you just mean paintings of her done by anyone who thought they would like to do that - not using personal sittings but only working form media images.
There is a finite number of actual "Portrait" paintings of Diana.
Bryan Organ, 1981 - Diana in black trousers & waistcoat, seated on a gilt chair in front of a white & gold door. (To commemorate the engagement)
Susan Ryder, 1981/2 - Diana seated, wearing her wedding gown & veil. Commissioned by HRH Prince Charles
June Mendoza, 198? - Standing, wearing a cherry red lace and satin gown (For City of London Guilds - The Grocers' Company)
John Ward, 1984 - Diana on a settee, wearing her wedding gown but no veil. Personal collection of the Prince of Wales.
Richard Foster, 1986 - Diana relaxed on a gold silk settee in front of a tapestry, wearing a long cream gown. (For the Royal College of Physicians)
Emily Patrick, 1987 - Diana seated, wearing a white sailor-collar blouse, & pale blue skirt, holding a letter, with a hat on a table beside her. (FOr the Royal Hampshire Regiment)
Israel Zohar, 1990 - Diana wearing the Travolta gown, but appears black instead of midnight blue. Seated, hands in lap. (for the 13th & 18th Royal Hussars)
Douglas Anderson, 1991 - Diana seated in front of a fantasy painted landscape, hands on lap, wearing purple velvet strapless gown and amethyst jewellery (for Royal Marsden Hospital, Fulham)
John Merton, - Triple portrait of Diana, wearing lemon silk gown with vee neck & full sleeves. (For Cardiff City Hall)
David Hankison, 1992 - Diana wearing pink satin gown with broad white collar, also bow-knot tiara. Very chocolate box style with fantasy landscape backdrop (commissioned by Worshipful Company of Leathersellers for HMS Cornwall)
Henry Mee, 1995 - Splodgy, impressionistic picture of Diana looking quite severe, wearing a dark blue gown with the sapphire choker. (for the Red Cross)
Nelson Shanks, 1994. Standing Diana, white frilled blouse and dark green silk skirt. Currently hangs at Althorp House. Commissioned by a "group of Art Dealers for the Princess of Wales own collection"
There is also one where Diana had been scheduled to sit for the artist but died before that could happen. The artist worked from photographs to fulfil his commission:
Theo Platt, 1997/8 - Diana, standing in a landscape with the National Hospital for Neurology in the background. She is wearing a black gown with broad beading around the top and forming a halter neckline
I have one further "official" portrait of Diana in a vee-necked red gown, painted I'd guess around the late 1980's, but I have no information about who did it nor who commissioned it - that's a work in progress....
I'd be happy to hear of any other Official "sittings" if anyone knows about them please.
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