Advertisement

Queen’s portrait appearance called ‘dreadful,’ likened to Winston Churchill

Queen’s portrait appearance called ‘dreadful,’ likened to Winston Churchill

A new portrait of the Queen has not received the royal reception its artist was hoping for.

Quite the opposite, in fact.

The first painting of the Queen ever commissioned by the British Royal Mail, to commemorate 60 years since her coronation, was greeted with harsh words from critics who called it "dreadful, embarrassing, monstrous," according to the Telegraph.

[ Related: Helen Mirren storms out of theatre dressed as queen to rebuke noisy drummers ]

Estelle Lovatt, the critic who uttered those harsh words, also said the artwork resembled her neighbour more than it looked like the Queen. She most likely wasn't giving her neighbour a compliment.

The Telegraph also reports criticism from the editor of a satirical art magazine, The Jackdaw, who says the portrait looks like "a bloke wearing a wig and earrings," according to the Telegraph.

He added the painting had "a hint of Churchill about it."

Mocking royal paintings isn't unfamiliar territory for the Jackdaw, of course, which also criticized a painting of the Queen by an Australian artist last year.

"She looks like a giant genie has suddenly appeared from the train of a dress and she has succumbed to suspended animation," the story says.

The artist who painted the new piece, Nicky Philipps, also painted a portrait of Prince William and Prince Harry in 2009 and she received much better reviews for that effort.

[ Related: Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee loot includes a llama, Antarctica and Olympic medals ]

Perhaps the Queen is simply difficult to capture. Artist Dan Llywelyn Hall certainly didn't win everyone over with the painting he revealed this year, dubbed a "Spitting Image puppet," according to the Independent.

Awful or not, the stamp has been approved for release, according to reports.