Jonathan Yeo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jonathan Yeo
|
|
|---|---|
Yeo in 2012
|
|
| Born | 18 December 1970 London, England
|
| Nationality | British |
| Education | Westminster School |
| Known for | Portraiture |
| Spouse(s) | Shebah Ronay |
Jonathan Yeo is a famous British artist, born on December 18, 1970. He is known for painting modern portraits of well-known people. He has painted many famous faces, including actors like Kevin Spacey, Dennis Hopper, and Cara Delevingne. The magazine GQ called him "one of the world's most in-demand portraitists," meaning many people want him to paint their pictures.
His art has been shown in big museums. For example, he had a special exhibition at the Museum of National History at Frederiksborg Castle in 2016. Before that, his work was shown at the National Portrait Gallery, London in 2013 and The Lowry in Manchester in 2014.
In 2013, a TV show called BBC Culture Show Special featured Jonathan Yeo. A book about his art, The Many Faces of Jonathan Yeo, was also published that same month. His paintings are part of the permanent collections in important places like the National Portrait Gallery, London, the Laing Art Gallery, and the Royal Collection.
Contents
About Jonathan Yeo's Life
Jonathan Yeo was born in London in 1970. His father, Tim Yeo, was a Member of Parliament (a politician in the UK). When Jonathan was a child, he had a serious illness, but he recovered. Today, he lives in London with his wife, Shebah Ronay, and their two daughters.
In the early 2000s, he became well-known for his realistic portraits of famous people. He has painted many different kinds of subjects. These include actors like Jude Law, Nicole Kidman, and Kristin Scott Thomas. He also painted artists like Grayson Perry, fashion designers like Ozwald Boateng, and political leaders.
His portrait of the model Erin O'Connor was used to advertise London's National Portrait Gallery around the world in 2005. This painting also appeared on the cover of a book called '500 Portraits' in 2011.
Painting Important People
The House of Commons (part of the UK Parliament) asked Jonathan Yeo to be the official artist for the 2001 general election. He painted the leaders of the three biggest political parties. His painting, called 'Proportional Representation', showed Tony Blair, William Hague, and Charles Kennedy. The size of each person's painting depended on how popular they were.
In 2008, Jonathan Yeo's official portrait of former Prime Minister Tony Blair was shown to the public. It was a powerful painting that seemed to show Blair looking older and tired. He was wearing a red poppy, which is a symbol in Britain to remember soldiers who died in wars. This painting was seen as a reference to the Iraq War.
Yeo also painted a full-length portrait of David Cameron in 2009, just before Cameron became Prime Minister. This painting was later sold for a lot of money.
Modern Art and Exhibitions
Between 2010 and 2012, Jonathan Yeo created a unique series of artworks. These paintings focused on cosmetic surgery. He showed women's faces before and after operations. This was a new way to think about traditional portraits. These paintings were part of two solo exhibitions: 'You're Only Young Twice' in London and ‘(I’ve Got You) Under My Skin' in Berlin.
His exhibition 'Jonathan Yeo Portraits' at the National Portrait Gallery, London (2013-2014) included both new and older works. The new portraits featured people who had made a big impact in their fields, like art, theater, and politics. Some of these famous people included Doreen Lawrence, Kevin Spacey, Damien Hirst, Malala Yousafzai, and Grayson Perry.
This exhibition later traveled to The Lowry Gallery in Salford in 2014. In 2015, it was shown at the Museum of National History in Denmark. This was special because Yeo had painted the first official portrait of the former Danish Prime Minister, Helle Thorning-Schmidt.
Jonathan Yeo also helps advise the Soho House group on art. He has been a judge for important art prizes, including the Art Fund Prize for museums in 2010 and the BP Portrait Prize in 2014.
In 2011, Queen Elizabeth II asked Yeo to paint a portrait of David Attenborough for the Royal Collection.
Famous Portraits and Royal Art
In 2016, Jonathan Yeo's portrait of actor Kevin Spacey was shown at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC. Spacey was painted as his character President Francis J. Underwood from the Netflix show House of Cards. Kevin Spacey himself unveiled the painting while acting as President Underwood, making jokes about it. Netflix even made a short film about this collaboration to promote the show.
In March 2016, Yeo had his biggest exhibition yet at the Museum of National History at Frederiksborg Castle in Denmark. A new series of paintings of the actor and model Cara Delevingne was shown there. These portraits were created over 18 months and explored how we create and see images of ourselves, like "selfies." Yeo explained that the way we use selfies today is actually quite similar to how portrait artists and audiences worked in the 1500s. A portrait of the former Danish Prime Minister, Helle Thorning-Schmidt, was also unveiled and became a permanent part of the museum's collection.
In May 2024, Jonathan Yeo's portrait of King Charles III was revealed. This painting, called His Majesty King Charles III, was created between 2021 and 2023, covering the time when Charles became King. It was the first official portrait of the King since his coronation. The painting is very large and shows King Charles in the uniform of the Welsh Guards. It is painted in a bright red color. The BBC called it "a vibrant painting," and Queen Camilla reportedly told Yeo, "Yes, you've got him," showing her approval.
