Alexander Thomas Talbot-Rice (born 4 August 1969 in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

) is a British society portrait artist who specializes in the classical techniques of the genre. He has been classically trained at two of the world's most prestigious art institutions, namely, The Florence Academy of Art and The Repin Academy of Art in St. Petersburg. His style is rooted in the naturalistic tradition and is known for its ability to capture the character and humanity of his subjects. His extensive body of work includes notable portraits of H.M. The Queen, H.R.H. The Duke of Edinburgh, and Lady Thatcher, among others.

Personal

Talbot-Rice is the son of David Arthur and Sylvia Dorothea Talbot-Rice and grand-nephew of art historian

David Talbot Rice David Talbot Rice (11 July 1903 in Rugby – 12 March 1972 in Cheltenham) was an English archaeologist and art historian. He has been described variously as a "gentleman academic" and an "amateur" art historian, though such remarks are no ...

. Alexander's artistic journey began as a child, when he fell in love with art under the tutelage of a gifted art teacher, Mrs. Rothery, at the strict prep-boarding school in Sussex, called Temple Grove. At the age of thirteen, he received the top Art Scholarship to

Stowe School , motto_translation = I stand firm and I stand first , established = , closed = , type = Public schoolIndependent school, day & boarding , religion = Church of England , president = , head_label = Headmaster ...

in Buckinghamshire. Later, he pursued a degree in Politics, Philosophy, and History at

Durham University , mottoeng = Her foundations are upon the holy hills (Psalm 87:1) , established = (university status) , type = Public , academic_staff = 1,830 (2020) , administrative_staff = 2,640 (2018/19) , chancellor = Sir Thomas Allen , vice_chan ...

, where he graduated with honors. However, he decided to embark on a career in

Fine Art In European academic traditions, fine art is developed primarily for aesthetics or creative expression, distinguishing it from decorative art or applied art, which also has to serve some practical function, such as pottery or most metalwork ...

, and in 1995, he obtained a scholarship to train as an artist in Florence at The Charles Cecil School and The Florence Academy of Art.

Career

In 2005 he painted the portrait of Queen

Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...

on the occasion of her Golden Jubilee, depicted HM the Coronation Coach at the Royal Mews of

Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace () is a London royal residence and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality. It ...

. He has also painted portraits of

Margaret Thatcher Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher (; 13 October 19258 April 2013) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 to 1990. S ...

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (born Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, later Philip Mountbatten; 10 June 1921 – 9 April 2021) was the husband of Queen Elizabeth II. As such, he served as the consort of the British monarch from El ...

and

Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI ( la, Benedictus XVI; it, Benedetto XVI; german: link=no, Benedikt XVI.; born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger, , on 16 April 1927) is a retired prelate of the Catholic church who served as the head of the Church and the sovereign ...

. In 2007 he exhibited at the

National Portrait Gallery National Portrait Gallery may refer to: *National Portrait Gallery (Australia), in Canberra *National Portrait Gallery (Sweden), in Mariefred *National Portrait Gallery (United States), in Washington, D.C. *National Portrait Gallery, London, with s ...

in Washington, USA. In 2012 he was an official war artist with the

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

during the

war in Afghanistan War in Afghanistan, Afghan war, or Afghan civil war may refer to: *Conquest of Afghanistan by Alexander the Great (330 BC – 327 BC) *Muslim conquests of Afghanistan (637–709) *Conquest of Afghanistan by the Mongol Empire (13th century), see als ...

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Rice, Alexander Talbot 20th-century British painters British male painters 21st-century British painters 1969 births Living people People educated at Stowe School Alumni of St Cuthbert's Society, Durham People with dyslexia 20th-century British male artists 21st-century British male artists