Britain’s most prolific portrait-painter died on May 15th, aged 99
she set eyes on him, June Mendoza knew he would be ideal. She was busy painting four presidents of the Royal Society of Engineering when his face appeared at the window. A nice face, plump and cheery, with brawny shoulders under a purple-shirt. He was hard at work too, expertly fixing scaffolding with a twist of the tool that swung cheekily at his groin. When the engineers had left, she went to the window and asked if he would sit for her. He agreed at once.
Her career, as Britain’s most-called-on portrait-painter, was to encompass most of the grandees of the land. The list began with royals: three Prince Philips, two Annes, three Charleses, two Dianas, five queens. She got very good at painting pearls. After these came archbishops, generals, prime ministers, eminent musicians, famous sports personalities, captains of industry and entertainers. But generously mixed in with these—perhaps a third of her productions—were her “pick-ups”.
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