Critics Seem to Hate Kate Middleton's Official Portrait, Do You?
January 11, 2013
Royal News
Not everyone is in love with Kate Middleton’s first official portrait. Critics are likening it to a “giant Polaroid,” and the artist is defending his choice to paint the Duchess of Cambridge smiling.
PrinceofWales.gov.uk
While Middleton reportedly called the portrait “absolutely brilliant” and William thought it was “beautiful,” critics disagreed.
[Photo: Getty Images]
Waldemar Januszczak, Art Critic for The Sunday Times, described it as “pretty ordinary... He made her look older than she is and her eyes don't sparkle in the way that they do and there's something rather dour about the face.”
He added, “Seriously, as a concept, what is it? It’s like a giant Polaroid. Like she went into a photo booth and had that picture taken and blown up to a huge size it would look more or less the same, wouldn’t it?”
Daily Mail Art Critic Robin Simon agreed. She said, “Fortunately, the Duchess of Cambridge looks nothing like this in real life. I'm really sad to say this is a rotten portrait.”
Award-winning artist Paul Emsley said he wanted to capture Kate’s spirit and decided after meeting her to paint her with a smile. According to the Prince of Wales website, Emsley revealed, “The Duchess explained that she would like to be portrayed naturally -- her natural self -- as opposed to her official self.”
He added, “She struck me as enormously open and generous and a very warm person. After initially feeling it was going to be an unsmiling portrait, I think it was the right choice in the end to have her smiling -- that is really who she is.”
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Comments
You have to be kidding, Kate is so..... much more than this shows, whose nose is that, not Kates. And maybe he was thinking twenty years down the road, maybe. I am sure she is too nice to tell him the truth.
Hate it for all the right reasons, dull lifeless eyes, no twinkle, hard aged appearance, haggard looking this is not the beautiful princess we see in all photos. It's not about the smile idiot artist, you made her look older than she is, even her bald husband looks younger. Diana is rolling over in her grave unable to save her poor daughter in law!
The painting does show her nice dimples and pretty hair but it makes her eyes look old, what was he thinking?
The portrait of the princess makes her look "cunning" and almost evil! The eyes are the key to this portrait. They are not the beautiful, alive, youthful eyes of the princess.
Please urge the artist to change the eyes -- that would change the portrait immeasuraby.
She is a beautiful, caring, loving woman!
This portrait is a total injustice to the vivacious and vibrant young Duchess. The difference in eye size, alone, is startling!
He's painted her with what looks like a smirk on her face. If he wanted to paint her with a smile, why didn't he go for the full beautiful smile that she has. She is so much more beautiful than this painting portrays. That being said, her position and her graciousness keeps her from criticizing the work in public. I admire her for that. If I were her, I would just say, "next" and hire another artist.
It looks like she's smirking - not exactly a Mona Lisa smile...
She's SO pretty, it's a shame!
She's so much more, beautiful than this painting shows. She looks older/more mature. Don't care for it
Seen Kate's portrait: Eyes are OK, hair good, smile alright, and jowls LOUSY!
makes her looks old and tired; get rid of it. Now if it were Camilla the gorilla, it would be too good for her.
sure could have done better, that is not a great picture. She is young and beautiful SHOW IT!
Sad to say, the portrait of Kate is absolutely terrible! She is a stunningly beautiful woman with sparkling eyes, and the artist did nothing to capture this! He made her look much older and tired, and the dark background is awful! Thumbs down!
Total injustice to a beautiful woman.
This is a total injustice to a beautiful woman.