Connery's portrait
Shady Tree
London, UKPosts: 2,998MI6 Agent
John Bellany's 1986 portrait of Sean Connery hangs in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh.
The text accompanying the portrait is interesting for its final sentence and what this signifies. At least in institutionalised cultural spaces, comment going forward on Connery's legacy is likely to be qualified in this kind of way.
Critics and material I don't need. I haven't changed my act in 53 years.
Comments
I believe you're right, Shady. This portrait was in the national press at the time, and their reaction wasn't favourable.
Although it's not an attempt at a naturalistic likeness, the painting does impressionistically convey something of Connery's persona as I remember him from media appearances at about the time of NSNA and his infamous 'doubling down' interview with Barbara Walters. (The portrait was painted at some point between the two).
I enjoyed some recent travels around Scotland, @Barbel
I often have sympathy for celebrities when they are approached by their respective National Portrait Gallery and asked if they would be willing to sit for a portrait by a top portrait artist. Most likely feel flattered, and probably excited. Nothing against John Bellany, but I am sure that many who end up with something rather abstract for eternity must be a little disappointed that it's not a more conventional portrait, even though they likely wouldn't want to admit it lest they are regarded as philistines.
@Shady Tree hope the weather held up!
I'm no art expert, but, yeesh--tiny head, long neck, barrel-shaped body... not something I'd like on my wall.
I’m no art expert either. I’ve never heard of John Bellamy before. If this is representative of his work then he has stolen a living…and good luck to him for that.
Yea, that’ ‘painting’ is definitely along the lines of ‘the emperor’s new clothes’ for me 👀
Where does one start? The shrunken head (did Sean appear in Beetlejuice)? The shifty peeping-tom eyes? The rat face? The picture's inability to convey anything significant about Connery at all? It hardly deserves to be called a portrait.
I looked the artist up and he is [apparently] very well regarded. I can only say I hope the portrait is not indicative of all his work, because it conjures no essence of Sean Connery at all. My faith in people's appereciation of art will take a hit if that is so.