Johnathan Yeo: King Charles First Portrait is a Red Shock
Johnathan Yeo: King Charles First Portrait is a Red Shock. The Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla took place at Westminster Abbey on Saturday 6 May 2023. This coronation was imperative because it was the first Coronation in nearly 70 years! After Queen Elizabeth II died, the throne passed immediately without any celebrations or ceremony to King Charles III. Moreover, King Charles became the UK’s monarch at the age of 73. On May 14, 2024, the Royal Palace revealed the first portrait of King Charles since his coronation. The famous portrait is painted by artist Johnathan Yeo. However, this portrait breaks the conventional traditions of Royal portraits. The painting has also left the public with many mixed opinions and questions about why the painting was painted in such a horrific manner.
When was the painting revealed?
The Palace revealed the first official portrait of King Charles III since his coronation on Tuesday, May 6, 2022.
Who painted this portrait?
The large-scale canvas, with a red palette, was painted by artist Jonathan Yeo. Moreover, Yeo was also seen beside the king as the work was being presented to the public. Furthermore, Yeo was born on 18 December 1970 in London, England. Moreover, he is a British artist who rose to popularity in his early 20s as a contemporary portraitist.
“I do my best to capture the life experiences and humanity etched into any individual sitter’s face, and I hope that is what I have achieved in this portrait. To try and capture that for His Majesty The King, who occupies such a unique role, was both a tremendous professional challenge and one which I thoroughly enjoyed and am immensely grateful for,” Yeo shared on his Instagram account.
Johnathan Yeo’s Instagram Account
https://www.instagram.com/jonathanyeo/?hl=en
What do we know about the painting
The portrait measures nine by seven feet. Moreover. It depicts King Charles wearing the uniform of the Welsh Guards. This is very significant because it was during this time that Charles was made Regimental Colonel in 1975. Furthermore, the painting is made with a red palette and a butterfly on King Charles’ right shoulder. So why is the painting red and why is there a butterfly on the King’s shoulder?
Why is the painting red?
The British artist, Johnathan Yeo defended his use of the color red as the dominant color by saying, “The red was inspired by the Welsh Guards, but I wanted the painting to be a little more contemporary and not get in the way of seeing the face and the personality”. Moreover, the color was an early experiment. After that, he “sketched it out and worked on the face”. Yeo stated, “I just then worked on making sure nothing else interfered with the balance. It was a nice mix of the traditional and the contemporary.”
Why is there a butterfly on the King’s shoulder?
The portrait of King Charles also included a butterfly that was hovering over the King’s shoulder. This butterfly was not something that Yeo added himself. In fact, it was a suggestion that King Charles gave to Yeo. The butterfly represents the monarch’s passion for nature, and it also depicts King Charles metamorphosis from the Prince of Wales to King Charles.
Can I see the King’s reaction to his portrait?
yes! Click here to see Johnathan Yeo and King Charles unveil the portrait for the first time to the public:
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