The largest collection of watercolors by Prince Charles, has gone on display in Britain.
The 79 watercolors are on display for a fortnight at The Prince’s Foundation exhibition space at The Garrison Chapel in Chelsea, and constitute the first full exhibition of Charles’ paintings in the medium.
Several scenes from Tanzania, one of the prince’s favorite destinations to paint, as well as scenes from Turkey, Greece, the Scottish mountains, and Provence in southern France, are depicted.Charles recounts how the calming and therapeutic act of painting moves him “into another dimension” on a display panel.
The prince goes on to say that his interest in the medium arose from his dissatisfaction with photography, however he adds that he “is under no illusion that the sketches reflect great art or a blossoming skill.” The prince’s 50th birthday was commemorated with a show at Hampton Court Palace in 1998, which featured 50 of his watercolors, while his 70th birthday was commemorated with a show at the National Gallery of Australia in 2018.
The intricate tapestry is made out of hundreds of strands of coloured yarn, and the tips of the cottage chimneys are made of undyed natural wool from Welsh Lleyn sheep, which the prince raises on his Gloucestershire estate, Highgrove. “The fundamental idea of this piece of work is to present tapestry as a contemporary art form that still has an impact,” says the artist. It’s fantastic if seeing it ignites someone’s imagination or encourages them to weave.”