King's first official portrait since the coronation

I agree with Glorianny regarding the photo of the uniform - this painting needed to stand out against any number of images of Charles in military gear and it does.

I interpret this as a depiction of the man himself rather than the role, where his features stand out and the garb fades into the background.

Camilla was overheard to say “Yes, You’ve got him” to the artist at the unveiling.

So do I

I quite like it, esp his face and the butterfly, but it reminds me of one of those props u put yr head though for a photo 😂

Really like it, a change from the usual boring portraits. His face is captured so very well and although I'm far from being a fan of royalty I do think it shows his human side with kind looking eyes and a slight hint of good humour.

Wonderful face. Debated to myself for ages on the background. Overall, I would prefer if the reddish tone in the background had been kept but just softened/lightened a bit with hint of skin tones. Currently the face is too sort of confined, where is the sense of "outside", the butterfly on its own not enough.

NotSpaghetti

I also see his mother in it SueDonim

I can’t see that myself, Notspaghetti though his father leapt out at me when I first saw the painting. Isn’t it funny, the different perceptions we all have?

I read that it was KC himself who suggested the butterfly, as a symbol of his championing of the environment before it was a fashionable thing to do.

greenlady102

hideous....looks like a prediction of where he will end up.

Nice!

Is he a member of the old Labour Party?
Now that would be interesting!!

Sarnia

greenlady102

hideous....looks like a prediction of where he will end up.

Are you for real? What a nasty, cruel comment to make about our King. Why do you think that?

Please think before you post Greenlady

It's a monarch butterfly, of course, which is thought to have been named after William of Orange, to symbolise both HRH's advocacy for environmental causes, and his personal transformation. I got the sensation that he is bathing in ketchup, or trying to be inconspicuous against the wallpaper, or... coming out of a mirror, horror-film style. Of course, I am a Philistine, and [therefore] not British.

greenlady102

hideous....looks like a prediction of where he will end up.

Are you for real? What a nasty, cruel comment to make about our King. Why do you think that?

Glorianny

I think the red is to make it less like this photo.

Well he certainly succeeded 🤣

greenlady102

hideous....looks like a prediction of where he will end up.

What a horrible comment!

All I can see are his head and hands amongst a mass of red which is a shame as I like his face on the painting. I can’t see what he’s wearing, perhaps it looks better in real life rather than a photo.

hideous....looks like a prediction of where he will end up.

Love the kindly face and butterfly motif but not sure about the red background. It somehow distracts from the subject. I am trying to look at it in various ways but each time I look, I don't feel comfortable with the amount and intensity of red.

Though I don't personally like the red, I can see that it symbolizes monarchy and splendour. What stands out against the misty red background though is the beautiful focussed face full of humanity, insight and kindness. I don't know if this is true of Charles or flattery but it is certainly a wonderful portrait to leave to posterity. The man within the role. I also like his hands. I know he has swollen fingers and the painting shows this though not overemphasizing it. Again it seems a human touch. And seems to me to symbolize the difficulties and effort that have come with his life., also the responsibilities. I like the butterfly. I feel it symbolizes his dreams. The inner man. And of course like butterflies, dreams are beautiful but fragile. The painting does have a dream like quality. Perhaps we as viewers are dreaming the king.

I like it

I like it, the Prince emerging from the background to be King

I am amazed that people say they cannot see the uniform and the butterfly. That is not due to red colour as to me it is all very clear. Everyone sees differently I know, I have had so many conversations about this subject of how we see things. So very interesting.

MissAdventure

I just looked at some of his other portraits on the link NotSpaghetti gave, and they are really beautiful.

There is one of Camilla, and one of the Duke of Edinburgh amongst them.

They are all absolutely fabulous, he is an incredible artist, thank you for the link.

A satanists dream!

I also see his mother in it SueDonim

Thank you for the link, Notspaghetti. It shows that KC’s portrait is very much in the artist’s style, which to me is that he portrays a face standing out from within a notable background.

I know nothing about art but I’ve thought about the portrait quite a lot since first seeing it, which I almost never do! It’s certainly made an impression on me and seems to depict the essence of the king, in as much as any of us know him. The background speaks to me of the turbulent times we live in and the uncertainly so many of us feel.

I think most of his other portraits are more successful. The red background in the one of Captain Tom gives an impression of time, memory and clouds. In this one of the King it just looks confusing. Unless of course he is showing the king as confused and overwhelmed.