Portrait of woman breastfeeding her daughter wins £30,000 prize
Grimsby-born artist Benjamin Sullivan has claimed first prize in the BP Portrait Award with his painting which depicts his wife nursing their young daughter.
A portrait of a woman breastfeeding her eight-month-old baby has won this year’s BP Portrait Award.
Grimsby-born artist Benjamin Sullivan, 40, was awarded first prize for Breech!, depicting his wife Virginia nursing their young daughter, Edith.
The judges said they were struck by the tenderness and intimacy of Sullivan’s composition, evoking Madonna and Child paintings through the ages and the depth of the maternal bond.
The oil painting was made over four to five weeks in the Suffolk-based artist’s studio, “when Edith’s co-operation was forthcoming”, the Gallery said.
It depicts “a sense of calm” which descended after the anxious time the parents faced during Edith’s birth.
The winner, who receives £30,000 and a National Portrait Gallery commission, was announced by presenter Mariella Frostrup at a ceremony at the National Portrait Gallery, London.
Dr Nicholas Cullinan, chair of the judges and director of the Gallery, said: “The competition, recognised as the most prestigious in the field of portrait painting in the world, continues to attract the best practitioners of the genre.
“This year is no exception, and I hope visitors will enjoy the diverse range of styles and sitters in the exhibition.”
Second prize, of £10,000, went to French painter and illustrator Thomas Ehretsmann, for Double Portrait, depicting his pregnant wife Caroline.
Third prize went to Antony Williams for Emma, his portrait of model turned friend Emma Bruce, crossing her arms over her naked chest.
Sullivan’s portrait can be seen at the National Portrait Gallery from Thursday when the free BP Portrait Award 2017 exhibition opens to the public.
