2016 Royal Society of Portrait Painters 2016 P R k u . o c . p r e h t Annual Exhibition 2016 Royal Society of Portrait Painters 17 Carlton House Terrace, London S W1 Y 5BD Tel: 020 7930 6844 www.therp.co.uk Cover painting ‘Sophia’ by Simon Davis VPRP RBSA Designed and produced by Chris Drake Design Printed by Duncan Print Group Published by the Royal Society of Portrait Painters © 20 16 Royal Society of Portrait Painters The Royal Society of Portrait Painters is a Registered Charity No. 32 7460 Royal Society of Portrait Painters Patron: Her Majesty The Queen Advisory Board Council Hanging Committee Anne Beckwith-Smith LVO Jane Bond Anthony Connolly Dame Elizabeth Esteve-Coll DBE Tom Coates Sam Dalby Lord Fellowes GCB GCVO QSO Sam Dalby Simon Davis Anupam Ganguli Sheldon Hutchinson Toby Wiggins Foreman Damon de Laszlo Susan Ryder Gallery Manager The Hon. Sandra de Laszlo Benjamin Sullivan John Deston Philip Mould Selection Committee Sir Christopher Ondaatje CBE OC Exhibitions Officer Jane Bond Mark Stephens CBE Alistair Redgrift Sam Dalby Daphne Todd OBE PPRP NEAC Hon. SWA Simon Davis Press and Publicity President Robin-Lee Hall Richard Fitzwilliams Robin-Lee Hall Sheldon Hutchinson Liberty Rowley Susan Ryder Vice President Head of Commissions Melissa Scott-Miller Simon Davis Annabel Elton Honorary Secretary Melissa Scott-Miller Honorary Treasurer Andrew James Honorary Archivist Toby Wiggins 3 Deceased Honorary Members Past Presidents 2001 – 2002 Andrew Festing MBE 2002 – 2008 Susan Ryder NEAC Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema OM RA RWS 1891 – 1904 A. Stuart Wortley 2008 – 2014 Andrew James William Bowyer RA RP RWS NEAC 1906 – 1910 Sir W. Q. Orchardson RA HRSA Maurice Bradshaw OBE 1910 – 1924 Sir James J. Shannon RA Honorary Members 20 16 Derek Clarke RP RSW ARSA 1924 – 1930 Sir William Orpen KBE RA RHA Sir George Clausen RA 1932 – 1940 Sir John Lavery RA RSA RHA Etc Leonard McComb RA Hon. RBA Sir Arthur Cope RA 1944 – 1948 George Harcourt RA Tom Phillips CBE RA Hon. PS Cowan Dobson RBA 1948 – 1953 Augustus John OM RA Tai Shan Schierenberg William Dring RA RWS 1953 – 1965 Sir James Gunn RA LL.D John Wonnacott CBE Hugh de T. Glazebrook 1965 – 1971 Sir William Hutchison PPRSA Kenneth Green 1971 – 1980 Edward Halliday CBE PPRBA Members 20 16 Sir James Guthrie PRSA RA 1980 – 1983 Norman Hepple RA Alastair Adams PPRP Allan Gwynne-Jones DSO RA 1983 – 1991 David Poole ARCA Jane Bond RP NEAC J. McLure Hamilton 1991 Edward Hall Jason Bowyer RP PNEAC PS Claude Harrison ARCA 1991 – 1994 George J. D. Bruce Paul Brason PPRP Augustus John OM RA 1994 – 2000 Daphne Todd OBE Keith Breeden RP AGBI Steward 2 01 5- 16 Dame Laura Knight RA RWS 2000 – 2002 Paul Brason Peter Brown RP NEAC PS Hon. RBA ROI Leonard C. Lindsay FSA 2002 – 2008 Andrew Festing MBE George J. D. Bruce PPRP Sir William Llewellyn PRA 2008 – 2014 Alastair Adams Tom Coates RP PPPS PPRBA RWS Sir John Everett Millais PRA PPNEAC RWA A. T. Nowell Past Vice Presidents David Cobley RP RWA NEAC Herbert A. Oliver RI 1898 – 1934 The Hon. John Collier OBE Anthony Connolly RP Sir Edward Poynter PRA RWS 1934 – 1944 George Harcourt RA Saied Dai RP NEAC Hugh G. Riviere 1944 – 1952 Sir Oswald Birley RA Sam Dalby RP Carlos Sancha 1952 – 1953 T. C. Dugdale RA Simon Davis VPRP RBSA Vice President C. Sanders RA 1953 – 1957 Simon Elwes ARA Frederick Deane RP John S. Sargent RA RWS 1959 – 1964 Sir William Hutchison PPRSA John Edwards RP Howard Somerville 1966 – 1980 Norman Hepple RA Andrew Festing MBE PPRP Trevor Stubley RBA RSW RWS 1980 – 1985 John Ward CBE RA RWS Richard Foster RP A. R. Thompson RA 1985 – 1991 George J. D. Bruce David Graham RP G. F. Watts OM RA 1991 Edward Hall Valeriy Gridnev RP PS ROI T. Fiddes Watt RSA 1991 – 1994 Richard Foster Robin-Lee Hall PRP President J. McNeill Whistler HRSA LL.D 1994 – 1999 Trevor Stubley RWS RBA Geoffrey Hayzer RP Walter Woodington RBA NEAC 1999 – 2001 Paul Brason Sheldon Hutchinson RP 4 Andrew James RP Hon. Treasurer Honorary Friends Professor Kenneth McConkey Brendan Kelly RP David Messum Esq. Ms Philippa Abrahams Peter Kuhfeld RP NEAC Dr Mark Moody-Stuart Ms Anne Allport James Lloyd RP Ms Jans Ondaatje-Rolls Sir Ian Amory June Mendoza AO OBE RP ROI Hon. SWA Richard Ormond Esq. The R t. Ho n. Lord Archer of Anthony Morris RP NEAC William Packer Esq. NEAC Hon. RBA Hon. PS Weston Super Mare Michael Noakes PPROI RP James Partridge OBE DSc. Ms Pim Baxter Anastasia Pollard RP Ms Liz Rideal Baroness Bottomley David Poole PPRP ARCA Alasdair Riley Esq. Gyles Brandreth Esq. Susan Ryder RP NEAC The Hon. Maurice Robson Robin Buchanan-Dunlop Esq. Melissa Scott-Miller RP NEAC Hon. Secretary Sir Timothy Sainsbury Gerald Carroll Esq. Stephen Shankland RP Dr Charles Saumarez Smith Colonel William Chesshyre Jeff Stultiens RP Sir David Scholey Mrs Peter Cookson Benjamin Sullivan RP NEAC The Lord Selborne Conrad Dehn Esq. Jason Sullivan RP Robin Simon Esq. Ms Susan Engledow Michael Taylor RP Peyton Skipwith Esq. Ms Katherine Eustace Daphne Todd OBE PPRP NEAC Hon. SWA Peter Spira Esq. Michael Fawcett Esq. Jason Walker RP Prof. Dame Marilyn Strathern Lord Fellowes of West Stafford John Walton RP The Lord Vinson of Roddam Dene LVO DL Ms Frances Gandy Emma Wesley RP Ian Wallace Esq. Dr Rita Gardner Toby Wiggins RP Hon. Archivist Anthony Weale Esq. Martin Gayford Esq. Antony Williams RP PS NEAC Duncan Wilson Esq. David Goldstone Esq. Neale Worley RP Andrew Wilton Esq. Philip Harley Esq. Robbie Wraith RP Sir Max Hastings Associate Members Sir Michael Holroyd David Houchin Esq. Frances Bell Assoc RP Ms Sarah Howgate Miriam Escofet Assoc RP Ms Dotti Irving Joseph Galvin Assoc RP Mrs Lucy Jenkins David Miller Assoc RP Dr Gillian Jondorf David R Newens Assoc RP The Rt. Hon. Tessa Jowell MP Mark Roscoe Assoc RP Sir Henry Keswick The Lady Fellowes LVO Sir Kirby and Lady Laing Ms Christina Leder 5 FIGURATIVE ART TODAY THE COLUMBIA THREADNEEDLE PRIZE 2016 Columbia Threadneedle Investments is pleased to support Mall Galleries and The Columbia Threadneedle Prize, a leading FRPSHWLWLRQ IRU ƂJXUDWLYH DQG UHSUHVHQWDWLRQDO SDLQWLQJ DQG sculpture. Since its establishment in 2008 The Columbia Threadneedle Prize has become recognised as one of the country’s major art prizes and a vibrant and engaging forum for creative talent. As well as supporting new techniques that stretch the potential of young, emerging and established artists, it provides an exciting and varied exhibition for everyone to see. columbiathreadneedle.com Important information: Columbia Threadneedle Asset Management Limited (TAML) registered in England and Wales, no.3701768, 60 St Mary Axe, London EC3A 8JQ. TAML is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. Threadneedle Investments is a brand name and both the Threadneedle Investments name and logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of the Threadneedle group of companies. columbiathreadneedle.com J23187 President’s review of the year Welcome to the 125th show of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters. It is hard to believe that a year has already passed since I wrote my first review as the new President. This year, we had almost 2,000 submissions, Honorary Member and Royal Academician, encouragingly, 488 were from artists under William Bowyer passed away last year. The 35. We also had a good international Bowyer family have kindly donated one of submission of 243 entries from countries as his portraits to the collection. The portrait far ranging as Taiwan, the United States, will be unveiled in September. Canada and Russia, with many entries from Europe. During the 2015 show, we ran a successful free education programme taught by some The standard remains high and I would like of our members. We had a very good take-up to thank the Council, Selection and Hanging including quite a few students from art Committees for giving up valuable ‘studio colleges across the country. This year, Vice time’ to make our annual exhibition what it President, Simon Davis and Hon. Secretary, is. As you can see from the show, we try to Melissa Scott-Miller, have planned an accept a broad selection of approaches to exciting programme of events including portraiture. demonstrations, talks, tours and an evening hosted by myself on the 18th May with It has been a year where our members’ artists, Daphne Todd OBE PPRP, Phil Hale talents have featured prominently. Daphne and Anthony Eyton RA talking about four Todd, our Past President, starred in the favourite portraits that have inspired them. BBC’s Big Painting Challenge, whilst Honorary Member, Tai Shan Schierenberg, I would like to thank Christopher Ondaatje was a judge on Sky TV’s Landscape Artist of for continuing to support us with our major the Year. Brendan Kelly followed on from prize for the most outstanding portrait in his success painting the Speaker of the the exhibition, The de Laszlo Foundation for House of Commons, John Bercow, with a the under 35 award, the Prince of Wales for fine portrait of Nick Clegg commissioned by the drawing prize, William Bortrick from Robin-Lee Hall, President of the RP the Parliamentary Works of Art Committee. Burke’s Peerage, James Partridge from Changing Faces and John Tehan from We are very grateful to Girton College, Smallwood Architects. Their generous Cambridge for continuing to house, contributions help to make our exhibition a maintain and promote our People’s premier event showcasing some of the Portraits collection, where one member finest examples of portraiture today. donates a painting each year. Sadly, Robin-Lee 7 The People’s Portraits Collection Conceived as a millennial exhibition by the Royal Society of Portrait Painters, the People’s Portraits Collection has been housed at Girton College, Cambridge, since 2002.