"When I first saw the work of Rupert Alexander I was put in mind of the great 17th century portrait painters - artists who presented an utterly compelling interpretation of their subject through the use of expressive contrasts of light and shade. Like them, Alexander presents his subject with dignity, in a quiet and introspective way, inviting us to reflect on the personality of the sitter. But while in this, and in their high level of technical accomplishment, his paintings recall a former age, Alexander is an artist of his times. His subjects, shown with minimal personal adornment, are bathed in a silvery light, and his work has an elegant simplicity, conveyed through restrained tones and harmonies, all of which places it very much in the here and now.
It is not hard to understand why his paintings are so widely collected and praised. His work evokes a very striking yet intimate immediacy of the sitter, revealing a nuanced insight into the individual human psyche, and the cool, expertly handled brush he wields creates a wonderful antidote to the brash, bellowing world which at present seems to surround us."
William Newton, writer and critic
Born in London in 1975, Alexander studied at Chelsea College of Art, The Florence Academy of Art and Charles Cecil Studios. He has painted the portraits of many prominent figures in Britain, and when, at the age of 23, he painted HRH The Prince of Wales and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh he became the youngest artist to paint the British Royal Family since the 18th century. His portrait of the Queen in particular garnered widespread press attention and critical acclaim (click here for press), and his work hangs in public and private collections worldwide. He lives with his wife, Naomi, in London.
0 Comments