276°
Posted 20 hours ago

Watercolours

£9.9£99Clearance
ZTS2023's avatar
Shared by
ZTS2023
Joined in 2023
82
63

About this deal

The oldest painting in the exhibition is of Turkey’s Bodrum Castle from 1989, and the most recent was created in 2018. “It is interesting to compare ‘Bodrum Castle’ to some of His Royal Highness’s more recent artworks,” Rosie says. “These newer pieces are more fluid in style; brush strokes are more instinctive and rhythmic. The use of color is more bold; several pieces feature complimentary colors in close proximity to one another which gives artworks a certain vibrancy and dynamism.” Price is due to additional costs incurred on all shipments that are variable and out of our control.) It’s a modest-sized exhibition, probably about 50 paintings all told, and on my visit just a handful of visitors. It’s also worth visiting though for the chance to see inside the restored Garrison Chapel, which has been turned into an exhibition space by the Prince’s Foundation to exhibit elements of its work, with a particular emphasis on traditional arts and heritage craft skills plus a number of special exhibitions and events.

The Prince signs his painting with a simple C and the date — C ’98, which for any other painter could leave future Antiques Roadshow experts wailing as to why the mysterious C never signed his name. In this case though, the paintings are likely to end up in the Royal Collection, the provenance undisputed. Ben, from Otley, took eight months to complete the complex interpretation at Dovecot Studios in Edinburgh after loaning The Prince’s original watercolour from Clarence House. Offered upfront as you approach is some insight into what the Prince thinks about it all. “I am under no illusion that my sketches represent great art or a burgeoning talent! They represent, more than anything else, my particular form of ‘photograph album’ and, as such, mean a great deal to me,” a message on the wall reads. He also cites his “first sketches” (he is understood to have taken up painting in his 20s in the 1970s) declaring “I’m appalled by how bad they are.” So what kept him going? “You become increasingly aware of things that may have escaped your attention previously—things like the quality of light and shade, of tone and texture and of the shape of buildings in relation to the landscape. It all requires the most intense concentration and, consequently, is one of the most relaxing and therapeutic exercises I know. In fact, in my case, I find it transports me into another dimension which, quite literally, refreshes parts of the soul which other activities can’t reach.” An exhibition at Hampton Court Palace in 1998, held to mark The Prince’s 50th birthday, displayed 50 of his watercolours, while The National Gallery of Australia’s exhibition in 2018 to celebrate another landmark HRH birthday showed 30 pieces. The tapestry consists of hundreds of different colours of yarn, and the tips of the cottage chimneys are made of undyed natural wool from Welsh Lleyn sheep, a breed that The Prince has on his Highgrove estate in Gloucestershire.It’s laid out in a series of rooms, each grouped by geographical region, with just a short note as to where each watercolour was created. I am under no illusion that my sketches represent great art or a burgeoning talent! They represent, more than anything else, my particular form of ‘photograph album’ and, as such, mean a great deal to me.” A London exhibition by The Prince’s Foundation showcasing 79 of HRH The Prince of Wales’s watercolours represents the largest-ever display of The Prince’s work and the first full exhibition of his watercolours. The whole point of this piece of work is to showcase tapestry as a contemporary art form and to show that it still has impact. If, by being viewed by visitors to The Castle of Mey, it sparks someone’s imagination or encourages them to weave, that’s great.”

Taking pride of place among His Royal Highness’s paintings will be Ben Hymers’ painstakingly created woven interpretation of Abandoned Cottage on the Isle of Stroma. The tapestry was presented to The Prince at Dumfries House in 2019 and is now on display at The Castle of Mey. This is not the first time that the Prince’s watercolors have been on display. 50 were shown at Hampton Court for his 50th birthday in 1998 and 30 have since been exhibited in Australia. Signed lithographs of some have been sold to raise money for his charitable foundation. Rumor has it that the Prince has not painted much since 2019, but he already has almost 700 pieces to his name. He is self-deprecating about their value as “great art.” But few can argue that they capture a fascinating story about the man who will one day be king. The exhibition of HRH The Prince of Wales’s Watercolours runs until 14th February 2022 and is free to visit 11am-4pm daily. Entry is either via Chelsea Bridge Road or Ranelagh Grove in Chelsea. As the months pass, the gardens at Highgrove change dramatically. By wandering through each part of this astounding garden through the seasons, The Prince of Wales, along with Bunny Guinness, describe the thinking behind each garden, the mistakes and the triumphs, and his plans for the future. Rosie Alderton, curating the exhibition for The Prince’s Foundation, said: "His Royal Highness has said before that he likes to sit in the actual environment and paint en plein air, and that, for him, taking a photograph doesn’t have the same feel as a painting. His passion for creating beautiful art is conveyed strongly in this exhibition. We’re very much looking forward to presenting this special collection to the public from November and into the new year.”

Refine Search Results

Asda Great Deal

Free UK shipping. 15 day free returns.
Community Updates
*So you can easily identify outgoing links on our site, we've marked them with an "*" symbol. Links on our site are monetised, but this never affects which deals get posted. Find more info in our FAQs and About Us page.
New Comment