King Charles III’s bright red official portrait raises eyebrows
London — Britain’s King Charles III has unveiled the first official portrait completed of him since his coronation, and it’s getting mixed reviews.
The painting by British artist Jonathan Yeo shows the king appearing to emerge from a red, fiery background. A butterfly appears as though it’s about to land on his right shoulder.
Yeo, who’s done portraits of other high-profile people including former U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair, was commissioned for his latest royal work in 2020 to celebrate the then-Prince of Wales’ 50 years as a member of the Drapers’ Company.
Aaron Chown/Pool via REUTERS
The painting was designed with the architecture of Drapers’ Hall in mind. The portrait will hang in the great hall in London that is the home of the historic livery company, which dates back to the 14th century.
Instagram page that the portrait reflected Charles rising above “enduring battles akin to murky waters” with “clarity and grace,” many others seemed to struggle to get past the striking red hues.
One user said, “it looks like he’s bathing in blood,” while another said: “Without sounding rude, this is the worst royal portrait I’ve ever seen.”
A third user suggested a different color might have worked better.
“I would have loved this if it was any other color than red,” the user said. “He really captured the essence of him in the face, but the harshness of the red doesn’t match the softness of his expression.”
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Source: cbsnews.com