Controversial artist paints Lady Diana

Press, 29 June 1981, Page 4

Controversial artist paints Lady Diana

NZPA-Reuter London An artist whose sombre painting of Prince Charles and blurred image of Princess Margaret drew barbs from the critics has been commissioned to paint the first official portrait of Lady Diana Spencer. The commission to the British portrait painter, Bryan Organ, comes from the National Portrait Gallery in London.

The gallery would not say how much the commission cost or if Lady Diana had been sitting for the portrait or whether it was being done from photographs.

But a Gallery spokesman said it had full confidence in Organ’s work. “'I don’t think we would have commissioned him if we had not been happy with him,” the spokesman said. Organ’s large square canvas of Prince Charles, seated

in a low wooden chair in front-of a nondescript green fence, was unveiled at tlje Gallery in February and critics did not like it. It was described as “limp and lifeless,” showing the Prince as a man who faced a confined future he did not relish.

Organ admitted he was “slightly disappointed” with the work after a year’s effort, but:’ “I don’t give a damn if the public likes it or not.”

His 1970 portrait of Princess Margaret was more controversial since the right half of her face was a faded blur. One critic said it made her look like a Tudor Queen awaiting execution. Mr Organ’s other subjects have included a bulldog-like image of Harold Macmillan, the champion jockey Lester Piggott, Elton John, Mary Quant, and Malcolm Muggerin_____ ■