Catherine's portrait as the Princess of Wales sparks royal art discussion.
Popular British-Zambian artist Hannah Uzor's latest creation adorns the July issue of Tatler magazine's cover. Her painting supposedly celebrates the "resilience and grace" of Princess Catherine, according to a statement shared with CNN on Thursday.
The piece showcases the princess during her attendance at the initial state banquet of King Charles III's reign. Uzor stated that she studied various photographs of the princess to accurately portray her.
She explained her portrait process in the statement, "While you can't meet the sitter in person, you have to examine every little detail you can find and then link all these subtle human moments. Do they have a certain pose or mannerism? Do they often make specific gestures?"
Uzor also mentioned how recently Kate Middleton's video about her cancer diagnosis had an impact on her work.
"All my portraits are an amalgamation of various aspects of a person's personality. It's like creating a three-dimensional character," she added in the statement.
However, not everyone was pleased with the portrait.
"Terrible! I'm not convinced the artist is a fan of the Princess - it resembles a poorly made school project," said one comment on Tatler's social media.
"This doesn't look like Princess Catherine at all. It's terrible and disrespectful," said another.
"While I appreciate the sentiment of power and dignity, the portrait only captures her essence but doesn't bear any resemblance to the Princess of Wales," remarked the third comment.
However, some people expressed their appreciation for Uzor's work, with one referring to it as "beautiful."
"Is anyone else a fan of this? It's a piece of art, not just a photo," insisted another commenter.
The painting garnered mixed response even from critics.
Alastair Sooke, the chief art critic for UK newspaper The Daily Telegraph, observed in his article that the painting was "alarmingly terrible" and "absolutely lacks any trace of likeness to its subject."
"How unyieldingly bad is this painting? Beneath a Lego-like helmet of permanently brown and unpatterned 'hair', the Princess of Wales comes across as a fumbling effigy in a naff cake topper," Sooke panned.
Kate Mansey, a royal editor at The Times of London, seemed unimpressed.
"I'm not quite sure what to say about this except... hmm..," wrote Mansey on Twitter.
The controversy mirrors the conversations regarding the crown's first official portrait of King Charles, which featured the monarch in the uniform of the Welsh Guards, holding a sword against a playful red background. Reports state the king is satisfied with the portrait, although others dismissed the red brushstrokes as too vivid, comparing it to a "poster for a horror movie."
Read also:
- Caught up in the present: the end of "The Crown"
- Through New Year's Eve with TV shows
- What's next for the series hits?
- Which shows will be on?
The portrait of Princess Catherine by artist Hannah Uzor, showcasing her elegance and resilience, has sparked heated debates about its artistic style and likeness to the real subject.
Despite the mixed reactions, some critics and viewers alike appreciate Uzor's unique interpretation of the Princess's essence, viewing it as a piece of art rather than just a photographic likeness.
Source: edition.cnn.com
