Royal paintings to be on display

Press, 17 November 1981, Page 27

Royal paintings to be on display

By

KEN COATES

in London

Paintings with Pacific Island subjects are included in a little known collection of oils by Prince Philip to be exhibited publicly this week.

The Prince was persuaded to show the works, which mainly reflect his travels round the world and depict Royal homes in Britain, to help raise funds for the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme.

The scheme is celebrating its twenty-fifth anniversary with a gala charity sale at Sothebys on November 23, and the exhibition of Prince Philip’s paintings will

precede this event for three days.

None of his paintings are for sale, but visitors who go to the exhibition will be invited to buy catalogues for the gala sale. At $45 ($3O in softback) they double as an admission ticket.

Prince Philip’s paintings include a Solomon Island boy and an Ellis Island boy. There is also one of Sulufou village, Solomon Islands, and a Gilbert Island girl. Another has Pitcairn Island as its subject. The Queen has given an amethyst elephant by Faberge, the Russian jeweller, worth from $lB,OOO to $24,000 for the sale and the Queen

Mother has given a valuable painting. A number of well known painters have also given examples of their work. The art critic for the “Standard” in London, Richard Cook, said Prince Philip’s pictures were nothing more than pleasant amateur exercises. “Like a thousand other Sunday painters, he enjoys sitting down before a board or canvas of modest dimensions and recording the scenery around him with tentative sincerity.

“But unlike most amateurs, he has an enviably wide range of locations from which to choose.”