My Favourite Painting

My Favourite Painting: Viktor Wynd

Artist and collector Viktor Wynd chooses a haunting picture by Austin Osman Spare.

My Favourite Painting: James Birch

My Favourite Painting: Judith Weir

'This exquisitely decorated painting with a young, ginger-haired man screwing up his face, expressing disgust, and also fear, suggested by the whites of his eyes – such a vivid detail.'

My Favourite Painting: Ashley Hicks

My Favourite Painting: Kim Wilkie

'The setting sun pulses, the motion in the waves and figures is slowly rhythmic and the mountains float on the horizon.'

My Favourite Painting: Hartwig Fischer, director of the British Museum

'An extraordinary statement on the intoxicating power of art,' says Hartwig Fischer as he chooses 'Untitled' by Cy Twombly as his favourite painting.

My Favourite Painting: Tim Parker

Tim Parker, chairman of the National Trust, chooses a right royal rarity: Goya's painting of the Spanish king and his family depicted as normal people, rather than leaders and figureheads.

My Favourite painting: John Humphrys

The broadcaster John Humphrys on his choice of a classic Turner picture.

My Favourite Painting: James O'Donnell

A painting which was inspired by the best-selling novel Ben Hur — and which went on to inspire the famous 1959 film — is the choice of James O'Donnell after his chance encounter one afternoon.

My Favourite Painting: Robert Dalrymple

'Our West Highland terrier stood in for the cat; Anna put on a big hat, but, to my regret, I never got round to buying a spotty dressing gown.'

My Favourite Painting: Courtney Love

Courtney Love chooses the Chi Rho page from The Book of Kells.

My Favourite Painting: Fergus Henderson

'There should be one point of simple, enticing clarity – a pickled walnut, perhaps, which is what I most strongly associate with this image – that compels you to dive in. Come! Commune with the pickled walnut!'

My Favourite Painting: The Marquess of Cholmondeley

'It’s an image of great tenderness; Gainsborough painting for himself and his adored wife, not for a rich patron.'

My Favourite Painting: Nigel Havers

My Favourite Painting: Nicola Kalinsky

My Favourite Painting: Robert Sandelson

'In the foreground of the new version (currently at the Saatchi Gallery), our late father’s hat can be glimpsed above a deck chair–as it turned out, he was watching his last game of cricket.'

My Favourite Painting: Piet Oudolf

'One cannot sense whether he is far out on the ocean or closer to shore, or what he may be watching or feeling in that moment as he stares towards the beach.’

My Favourite Painting: Roger Weatherby

Roger Weatherby — the CEO of his family firm, Weatherbys Banking Group — chooses an equestrian picture from his family's collection, painted by one of his ancestors.

My Favourite Painting: Julian Fellowes

My Favourite Painting: Louise Moelwyn-Hughes

'My parents bought it in one of the large, family-owned department stores (soon to be destroyed by terrorist bombs) and I remember us carrying it home on the bus.'