Opportunities & Exposures: Art
Portrait of the Artist
Richard Stone
03/01/2005

Believe it or not, at 4 years old I declared: “One day I shall paint the queen!” As a teen, I persuaded Sir Gerald Kelly, famous for his portrait of the poet T.S. Eliot, to mentor me. At 22, I became the youngest artist since 1790 to paint the Queen Mother’s portrait. In the decades since, I have painted many other royals, executives and politicians.

IN HIS sketches of Dr. James Watson, Stone studies the nuances of his subject's expressions in preparation for the final painting.
Having your portrait painted is not the intimidating affair that you might envision. No longer does the artist crouch behind an easel, working silently until the moment of completion. And the person sitting for a portrait is certainly not the artist’s “subject.” Rather, the process should be like a relaxed conversation with a friend, in a familiar environment. A portrait is very much an effort of collaboration between the artist and his sitter, a joint attempt to summon and capture personality, subconscious gestures and expressions—whatever it is that makes a person uniquely familiar to friends, family and colleagues.

Before beginning a portrait, I visit my clients to give them an overview of what the process of working together will be like. Oftentimes I work with clients before receiving a formal commission. Together, we determine the size of the painting that would best suit their needs and tastes. In these cases, I work on retainer and produce a series of small oil paintings. Based on this series, I develop mock-ups that give the sitter a clear idea of what is possible, and the flexibility to choose what he wants.

The process of portraiture is very much a short-term friendship, and as a friend I am keenly attuned to, and respectful of, my sitter’s wishes. I am constantly adjusting to the person, his mood and requirements for privacy. A full portrait typically requires seven sittings of 90 minutes each. Initially, I draft a series of small oil panels that I can discuss with my client. In this way, I involve him in the process, and enable him to approve of the portrait as it develops. In the end, he should be assured that the final product will be wholly acceptable and easily recognizable.

I never ask a sitter to assume a pose. This would be too contrived, and might make my client self-conscious. Instead, I let him assume whatever posture is natural. I want my clients to relax, and to forget that they are sitting for a portrait. The finished product should not be a static picture, as in the still-life works of van Gogh or Cézanne. I produce many sketches of gestures to capture the fleeting expressions that sum up the likeness of the person and convey a sense of movement.

Context Is Key
 Detail is absolutely essential. In 2001, I painted Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, in full military regalia. The portrait was to be dedicated to the Staffordshire Regiment and hung on a military base. Obviously, each detail of the prince’s uniform—medals, badges, belt buckle, etc.—required the utmost attention to accuracy.

I’m always aware of the environment in which my portraits will hang. The painting of a CEO, to be hung in a corporate boardroom, should convey qualities of leadership and decisiveness. It should also complement a record of achievement and corporate stewardship.

If the picture will hang on a private wall, such as a family’s dining room or library, I want to capture a side of the person that goes above and beyond his life at work or in the public eye. I look for an expression or gesture that encapsulates his philosophy on life, one that would be immediately recognizable and endearing to relatives and friends.

Portraitists typically have a standard range of fees based on a portrait’s size and scale. In my case, for example, a 10-inch-by-12-inch piece costs $12,000. A portrait of head and shoulders would cost $36,000. Larger pieces will vary from $50,000 to $100,000. These are small sums, however, compared to the value a portrait may have when finished. In 2001, I painted a 30-inch-by-25-inch portrait of Baroness Thatcher, England’s former prime minister. Upon completion, the portrait was auctioned for charity and garnered £250,000, around $460,000 at today’s exchange rates.

Perhaps above all, portraits are sentimental historical documents that will outlive the sitter. After I unveiled my portrait of Geng Zhao Jie, the former president of China’s largest automobile manufacturer, Geng passed me a note of thanks: “My family will keep your painting forever, and [through it] I will always remain in their hearts.”

Richard Stone is the official portraitist of the British royal family.