King Charles III’s Red Portrait Draws Fierce Criticism From Some Fans
Written by Rtradio on May 15, 2024
It’s not three cheers across the board for King Charles‘ new portrait.
On Tuesday, a new image of the monarch was unveiled, but it’s not drawing unanimous compliments. The artwork by artist Jonathan Yeo — who has produced portraits of Prince Philip and Queen Camilla in the past — depicts the sovereign in mostly shades of red as he dons the uniform of the Welsh Guards. King Charles holds a sword in his hands while a butterfly is seen above his right shoulder. Amid his cancer battle and following treatment, Charles returned to public engagements in late April and unveiled the portrait himself. As he pulled down the drape covering the art, he appeared to be initially stunned by what he saw.
“It was a privilege and pleasure to have been commissioned by The Drapers’ Company to paint this portrait of His Majesty The King, the first to be unveiled since his Coronation. When I started this project, His Majesty The King was still His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, and much like the butterfly I’ve painted hovering over his shoulder, this portrait has evolved as the subject’s role in our public life has transformed,” Yeo said in a statement. “I do my best to capture the life experiences and humanity etched into any individual sitter’s face, and I hope that is what I have achieved in this portrait. To try and capture that for His Majesty The King, who occupies such a unique role, was both a tremendous professional challenge, and one which I thoroughly enjoyed and am immensely grateful for.”
The artist and his final product are facing fierce criticism from some, who did not mince words as they reacted to the bold artwork through comments on Instagram.
“I’m sorry but his portrait looks like he’s in hell,” one comment read. Others echoed the sentiment, while some likened the red hues to blood.
Another critic candidly wrote, “Without sounding rude this is the worst royal portrait I’ve ever seen.”
However, like all art, the response was subjective. Some praised Yeo for his originality and showered him with compliments over the final piece.
“His painting is absolutely SPECTACULAR and so sophisticated and STRONG ❤️,” a fan wrote. “Congratulations to the artist 🧑🎨 👏👏👏👏👏.”
Another defended it, commenting, “Keep looking at it. It inspires questions and lets you imagine what it means. It is quite stunning.”
Comments on the post have notably been limited. However, it seems Yeo is taking the feedback in stride as he re-shared CNN’s article on his Instagram Story. The headline? “King Charles’ first official portrait since coronation proves divisive.”
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