The portrait of Theresa May unveiled in Parliament

world news

The former prime minister is pictured holding a lily of the valley, a plant associated with the month of May.

Mr. Dai said: “In this portrait, the aim was to produce not only a convincing physical likeness, but also a psychological characterization, both individual and archetypal – imbued with symbolism and atmosphere.

“A good painting must be a revelation and also, paradoxically, an enigma. It must possess an indefinable quality – in a word, a mystery. »

Ms May said the portrait was a “huge honour”.

Tory MP Dean Russell, Chairman of the Speaker’s Art Advisory Committee, said: “The Parliamentary Art Collection lists those who have made a significant contribution to politics and public service here in the UK.

“Few embody this more than Theresa May – our second female Prime Minister, as well as a dedicated parliamentarian and dedicated civil servant. »

Art Appreciation – “An Impressive, But Partially Successful Portrait”

By Francesca Pea___

A striking new portrait of former Prime Minister Theresa May has been unveiled in Parliament. Saied Dai – who has previously painted characters ranging from children’s author Jacqueline Wilson to former Royal Ballet director Dame Monica Mason – was commissioned by the Chairman’s Advisory Committee on Works of Art to paint the portrait which will eventually hang in Portcullis House.

It is certainly a strong image. May stands on a shade of green in the House of Commons, dressed in a blue Tory suit and a vast navy overcoat thrown over her shoulders. She gazes at the viewer with one hand resting on her chest, a nod to the “hand in the waistcoat” trope of portraits of martial leaders of centuries past.

It’s an inflexible and rigid image of authority that is impressive, but only partially successful. Despite the strength of the portrayal, the former prime minister – who fought so hard against an unruly Parliament during Brexit – is not unlike a beleaguered general.

But where the painting sings is in its details. Dai paints the month of May with a lily of the valley in his hand: the flower is associated with the month of May, its namesake (and was also, apparently, Queen Elizabeth II’s favorite flower). With the intimacy painted amid the bravado of the composition, it is a portrait of touching humanity; a new perspective on the former Prime Minister.

telegraph UK

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