Hannah Uzor’s painting of Catherine, Princess of Wales, on the cover of Tatler had many asking, “Who is this?” But experts say likeness is not everything.
The artist behind a new, much debated portrait of Catherine, Princess of Wales, probably knew she was wading into touchy territory when she took up a commission to paint one of the most closely watched people on the planet. In an interview with Tatler magazine, which commissioned the portrait for its July cover, artist Hannah Uzor noted that there are tens of thousands of photos of Princess Kate in the archive, and before painting her, she intended to study as many as possible.
“I spent a lot of time looking at her, looking at her pictures, watching videos of her, seeing her with her family, seeing her diplomatic visits, seeing her when she’s rowing or visiting children at hospice,” the artist, who did not have access to the princess during the process, reflected in a video. Her portraits aim to capture “the soul of the person,” Uzor said.
But for many, the portrait resulting from that close study depicted neitherthe princess’s soul, nor even her physical characteristics. In response to the painting – showing a calm-looking figure in a fluid white gown against a buoyant blue backdrop – several commenters asked, “Who is this?”
“The painting is beautiful but does not look like the princess,” one noted.
Others were more direct in their criticism, calling the piece “an insult” and “terrible.”
The royal family has not spoken publicly about the work and the artist did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
As a result of digital video and photography, the public has never been more intimately familiar with what public figures look like, so when a portrait of a person as globally famous as Catherine is released, the artist is invariably put in the hot seat.
