My Favourite Painting
My Favourite painting series, from Country Life
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The Embarkation of Henry VIII at Dover by artist(s) unknown, about 1520–40, 5½ft by 11¼ft, Hampton Court Palace, London -
'Sonorous Tree' by Victoria Crowe (b. 1945) 12in by 9in, private collection. Credit: John McKenzie My Favourite Painting: Thea Musgrave
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Christ in the House of Martha and Mary, 1618, by Diego Velázquez (1599–1660), 25in by 40½in, National Gallery, London Credit: www.bridgemanimages.com My Favourite Painting: James Graham-Stewart
‘Is it in the present or in the past? These plays on time and space keep the story alive. None of this would be especially interesting if it weren’t for the unsurpassed humanity that binds Velázquez’s virtuosity.'
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‘The Subway’, 1950, by George Tooker (1920-2011). 18.5in by 36.5in. Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, purchased with funds from the Juliana Force Purchase Award 50.23. ©The Estate of George Tooker, Courtesy DC Moore Gallery, NY My Favourite Painting: Mike Leigh
The film director and writer chooses 'The Subway' by George Tooker, an artist who John McEwen describes as 'one of the most original and mysterious American painters of the 20th century'.
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Ladies Night by Beryl Cook (1926–2008), Private Collection. Credit: Private collection. My Favourite Painting: Barry Cryer
'Like all her work, it displays a ripe sense of humour, which is what attracted me to it. No pretension, just joyful observation.’
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Untitled (Fragment 5), screen print on plexiglass, 1965, by Bridget Riley (b.1931), 24in by 31 1⁄3in, private collection. Credit: Bridget Riley / Tate / Tate Images / Matt Austin My Favourite Painting: Mark Hix
Chef and cookery writer Marx Hix chooses a modern work by Bridget Riley, which he has owned for two decades.
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5614495 Christ at Prayer, 1585-87 (oil on canvas) by Greco, El (Domenico Theotocopuli) (1541-1614); 61x46 cm; Narodni Galerie, Prague, Czech Republic; Greek, out of copyright. Credit: Bridgeman Images My Favourite Painting: Mary Plazas
'There is compassion, awe, humility, a knowing yet a questioning in the glistening eyes. It moves me, it inspires me beyond the need to know.’
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Peace, 1896, by William Strutt (1825–1915), 34¼in by 51¼in, Brecon Cathedral, Powys. Credit: Photograph by Daniel Gould / Country Life My Favourite Painting: The Archbishop of Wales
'The Christian faith is, for some, too idealistic or naïve, but for those who understand Strutt’s inspiration, the painting is a metaphor for the Kingdom of God.'
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Graffiti on his studio wall, 1927–65, by Alberto Giacometti (1901–66). The studio was at 46, rue Hippolyte-Maindron, Montparnasse, Paris, but has now been reconstructed at the Giacometti Institute, 5, Rue Victor Schoelcher. Credit: Corbis/VCG via Getty. My Favourite Painting: Michael Peppiatt
'I visited in January 1966 with a scrawled introduction from Francis Bacon, but felt too intimidated to knock on his door. Later, I learnt Giacometti had just died. This lost opportunity haunted me.'
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Comtesse d’Haussonville, 1845, by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres (1780–1867), 52in by 36¼in. Credit: The Frick Collection, New YorK. My Favourite Painting: Sir Peter Osborne
'There’s that extraordinary gaze of hers, how confident and proud – she was, after all, born a princess – but, at the same time, how alluring and seductive, her eyes following you as you walk past her.'
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‘Skaters on a Frozen River with Horses and Figures by a Tent and Other Figures by a Horse and cart on a Track’ by Andries Vermeulen (1763–1814). Picture date unknown; 20½in by 26in, private collection. Credit: Andrew Sydenham/Country Life My Favourite Painting: Tim Breitmeyer
The head of the CLA chooses a wintry scene by Vermeulen.
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‘The Old King, 1916–36’, by Georges Rouault (1871–1958), 30¼in by 21¼in, Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, USA. Credit: ADAP, Paris and DACS, London, 2019 / Totnes Photographic My Favourite Painting: Rodney Peppé
The children's author on a key work by Georges Rouault which entranced him before he knew anything of its creator.
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The Flower Seller, 1942, by Diego Rivera (1886–1957), 48in by 48in, private collection. Credit: Bridgeman Images My Favourite Painting: Cassandra Goud
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3597139 Five Bathers, 1885-87 (oil on canvas) by Cezanne, Paul (1839-1906); 65.3x65.3 cm; Kunstmuseum, Basel, Switzerland; (add.info.: Cinq baigneuses;); French, out of copyright. Credit: www.bridgemanimages.com My Favourite Painting: Sir Nicholas Serota
'The subject looks back to Botticelli, Titian and Ingres and forward to Picasso’s Demoiselles, but the visceral power is closer to relief sculpture.'
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Finale, 1887–88, by Sir John Lavery (1856–1941), 34in by 44in, private collection. Credit: Courtesy of Richard Green Gallery, London My Favourite Painting: Aileen Ribeiro
'Does Finale mean the last notes of the music or the end of an affair?'
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Study of Feet and Hands, c.1818-19 (oil on canvas) by Gericault, Theodore (1791-1824); 52x64 cm. Musee Fabre, Montpellier, France My Favourite Painting: Caro Howell
'There’s something tender and protective about the way the severed arm cradles the dismembered foot.'
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Orangutan - Ruskin Spear - Height 90cm/35.5inches - Width 69.5cm/27.5 Inches. Owner is Mark Coreth, the painting is affectionately known as "Fred" to his familly. Credit: Andrew Sydenham/Country Life My Favourite Painting: Mark Coreth
'As a wildlife sculptor, I feel a huge affinity to my wild world and a closeness to Fred for that reason, too, although he’s evidently not swinging through the trees.’
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Queen Elizabeth II (‘Lightness of Being’), 2007, by Chris Levine (b.1960), 45¼in by 45in, lenticular print on lightbox, National Portrait Gallery, London. Credit: Chris Levine My Favourite Painting: Anya Hindmarch
'It’s such a fresh depiction of The Queen and deservedly has become iconic. To see an image of her with her eyes closed would once have been unheard of.'
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Hambletonian, Rubbing Down, 1799–1800, by George Stubbs (1724–1806), 6ft 10½in by 12ft ½in, National Trust, Mount Stewart, Co Down. ©National Trust Images/John Millar/Bridgeman Credit: National Trust Images/John Millar/Bridgeman My Favourite Painting: Hilary McGrady
Hilary McGrady, director-general of the National Trust, chooses a painting she first encountered in childhood.
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Credit: Bequeathed by Sir Alexander Maitland with life interest to Colonel Peter Dunphie. Presented by Colonel Dunphie 1997. Desmond Banks/Rory Lindsay Photography My Favourite Painting: Johnnie Boden
Catalogue clothing entrepreneur Johnnie Boden chooses a fascinating still life.
