Dame Maggie Smith Gets a National Portrait Gallery Painting: What Do We Think?
So, it’s definitely a fantastic thing that the great actress has been so honored – Smith’s portrait was revealed at the London museum on April 9. However, well, it could be said that this particular bit of artwork is not quite the equal of the lady it’s depicting. (In my ever so humble opinion of course. Someone convince me I’m wrong!)
The six-foot-three painting was done by artist James Lloyd, who began work on the project in 2011 and reports that Smith had been “reluctant” to have her painting done in the past, saying that her first words to him on the subject of having to immortalize her in art form were “poor you.”
Lloyd explained that he wanted to capture the great Dame in “everyday mode” and was going for “understated grandeur” in his representation of her. It’s possible that we may have sailed a little too far past the mark on this particular effort, if you ask me.
Upside: The presence of a piece of art containing Maggie Smith sort of raises the awesomeness of all other art, just by virtue of proximity. Also, well, it’s Maggie Smith. I’ll still go have a look at it the next time I’m in London and I imagine others will as well, just because we all love her.
Downside: It sort of looks like the artist just took a publicity photo of her character from (awesome film) The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and re-sketched it while consuming a lot of wine. Smith is a particular hero to many of us who want to grow up and be fabulous old British ladies ourselves one day and this painting is in zero way flattering to a woman who is not only beautiful, but basically radiates awesomeness out of every pore. Gawker said the portrait made Smith look like a “condescending mummy overlord” and while that seems to perhaps be a bit too far in the other direction, it’s also a bit hard to accept that this is the best we could do.
To be fair, however, the artist did get Smith’s patented exasperated expression exactly correct, and you could be forgiven for imagining that it probably wasn’t far off from the actual look the lady herself was sporting when she got a look at this painting. Or, at the very least, it’s how one imagines the Dowager Countess might react to it.
According to the painter, Smith is “very happy” with the final result, though this feels a bit like that time when the Duchess of Cambridge kept a traditionally stiff upper lip and told the National Gallery that she thought their horrible portrait of her was great too. (I mean, really what are they supposed to say?)
On the flip side: Vulture.com calls the painting “perfect” and has even invented its own meme around it, though it’s hard to tell if that’s meant sarcastically or not.
Have a look for yourself:
Am I overreacting? Is Smiths’ awesomeness enough to make up for any and all artistic flaws? It’s possible, but one would think she still deserves better than this.
