According to the Times this morning Gordon Brown has surprised politicos and art critics alike by revealing he commissioned a portrait by the Irish figurative painter Francis Bacon in the early 90's. Famed for his 'Studies after Velázquez' Bacon's bold, grotesque portraits make for a startling contrast with most official portraits of leading politicians - few, if any, knew of Brown's interest in contemporary art. The painting was a private commission paid for by Brown himself and is thought to hang in his Kirkcaldy home.
Brown is depicted mid-speech against a dark red background, his trademark 'claw' hand gesture in the foreground and his face subject to the usual Bacon distortions. Despite this it's still recognisably Gordon Brown and the portrait somehow manages to capture the intensity he often brings to his speeches.
No.10 have confirmed its existence but have pointed out this isn't an official portrait and there's no intention to resite it in Downing Street - Brown has yet to sit for an official portrait and has no immediate plans to do so. The only official portrait of his predecessor Tony Blair was unveiled earlier this year, a more traditional affair by Jonathan Yeo, son of Tory MP Tim Yeo.
(hat tip)
Brown is depicted mid-speech against a dark red background, his trademark 'claw' hand gesture in the foreground and his face subject to the usual Bacon distortions. Despite this it's still recognisably Gordon Brown and the portrait somehow manages to capture the intensity he often brings to his speeches.No.10 have confirmed its existence but have pointed out this isn't an official portrait and there's no intention to resite it in Downing Street - Brown has yet to sit for an official portrait and has no immediate plans to do so. The only official portrait of his predecessor Tony Blair was unveiled earlier this year, a more traditional affair by Jonathan Yeo, son of Tory MP Tim Yeo.
(hat tip)
4 Comments:
That Blair portrait was offensive - a poppy for the men he condemned?
Excellent.
Thanks Tom.
James - lighten up, it's one day a year!
Apropos of nothing calendar related, my favourite pick from the Schott's April Fool Almanac in T2 today has to be this gem:
"The Iraqi newspaper, Babel, run by Saddam Hussain's son, Uday, became notorious for running April Fool's Day "jokes" taunting its readers. In 1998, the paper quoted President Bill Clinton as saying sanctions were soon to be lifted."
One can only imagine the fate of the April 2, 1998 edition of Babel when the jape was revealed, but I bet it wasn't soft, strong or particularly long.
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