Diplomatic World 67

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FROM SOUTH AFRICA TO MONACO
The fact that the Mandela portrait was unveiled to the world in
Times Square also inspired Prince Albert of Monaco to purchase
a work by Peter Engels. At an auction in Monaco, the Prince was
engaged in a fiery bidding duel with the mayor of the neighbouring
France coastal village of Eze. They were both interested in
the large portrait of Princess Grace by Peter Engels. The Prince
and the mayor kept bidding against each other until the mayor
stood up in the back of the auction room and, and with a broad
and courteous gesture, he left the final bid to the Prince. “I would
have given it to the Prince anyway,” he said.
The Mandela portrait opened many doors for the artist, and he
set out to paint and, if possible, even meet more famous character
heads. Peter Engels met and painted 007-actor Roger Moore,
jazz legend Toots Thielemans, Belgian Princess Astrid and
fashion icon Karl Lagerfeld. Actress Nicole Kidman shortly lived
in Peter Engels’ village where he painted her portrait.
MANDELA’S CHARMING INNOCENCE
Just like Nelson Mandela, the Greek philosopher Hippocrates
has a charming innocence about his personae. Peter Engels
studied the few well-preserved marble sculptures of Hippocrates
and painted his true portrait. Peter Engels was commissioned
to paint the portrait of the late cosmetics tycoon Estée Lauder
to revive her villa in Cannes, South of France. Peter Engels was
commissioned to create an art piece for the Jordan Queen Rania,
a metal portrait sculpture that was flown to Amman.
Peter Engels was commissioned to create the sculpture of
Michelin star chef and father of ‘nouvelle cuisine’ Roger Vergé.
The large sculpture was positioned in the marketplace of the
medieval village of Mougins, South of France. A miniature of the
large sculpture serves as the award for Vergé’s yearly international
chef’s contest.
MANDELA’S FRIEND RICHARD BRANSON
“Meeting your model gives an extra dimension to a portrait,”
Peter Engels says. Fortunately, the artist was able to meet
Mandela’s friend, Richard Branson in person. In fact, Branson
even wanted to pose. But not too long. What better moment for
portrait painter Peter Engels to have Virgin boss and business
tycoon Richard Branson model ‘live’ for him than during a twoand-a-half-hour
interview?
Peter Engels: ‘It seemed the perfect opportunity to have Richard
Branson pose for me. A charming lady interviewed him, but
most of all, she easily kept Richard Branson smiling for a couple
of hours, which was just enough for me to finish the painting.’
In front of an international audience of 1,600 journalists, politicians,
students and entrepreneurs, Peter Engels painted Richard
Branson’s portrait on a large canvas. It was a stressful session
for the artist, but incredibly memorable. The painting was signed
by Richard Branson himself, making this artwork an even more
desirable collector’s item in the charity auction that followed.
COMMISSIONED PAINTINGS WELCOME
But if you think that Peter Engels only paints celebrities, you
are wrong. Because more than half of his paintings are portraits
of lesser-known people. The reveal of these commissions are
always emotional moments of happiness.
www.peterengels.eu
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