Herbert Smith Freehills Portrait Award 2024

Beautiful exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery to show the shortlisted paintings in this year’s portrait awards.

The show marked the return off the annual exhibition to the gallery after its refurbishment as well as a new sponsor.

I thought it was of a much higher quality than some years where you felt you would recognise the sitters if you saw them in the street. Some years the images have got quite abstract.

Favourites started with the first picture I saw by Alexander Macdonald of his daughter in law which included a self-portrait being which was shown in the 1986 version of the show. A portrait of dancer with alopecia by Massimiliano Pironti was stunningly detailed.

There were some good paintings of older people such as Aleksandra Sokolova’s painting of his grandfather who died while he was painting it and “Man with Closed Eyes” by Daniel Nelis.

This year’s winner was a beautiful egg tempera piece by Antony Williams whose work I’ve seen in Messum’s Gallery. I recognised his work from the objects on the table behind.

Closes 27 October 2024


 

 

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