My philosophy of portraiture is similar to that od Philip Alexius de Laszlo. The renown Hungarian painter lived in 19-20th centuries and had a great success in England. I think about the portait painting just like he did. It is not about truth. It is about pleasure. I present my sitters the way they would like to see themselves. The best pose, the most elegant outfit. I emphasise those characteristics that are most beautiful about the person. The portrait has a right to be more pretty than the sitter. But for example Lucian Freud, a great contemporary painter, has a totally opposite concept. His portrait of Elisabeth II is excellent, but few like it.
One would ask: is it not better to take a photo? A photograph shows everything with detail, but does not show everything. A good portrait moves by its ambiance, inspires, makes us intrigued, makes us wonder: who is there behind the face? Like here on the portrait of the Duchess of York and her children - Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice, painted in 1994. It is one of my favorite...
Published by Evita Ramparte
