LONDON — A somber Tony Blair is back in Parliament — in a portrait capturing an indelible image of the embattled politician in his final months in office.
The painting, unveiled Wednesday, takes its place in the grand portrait galleries alongside British political luminaries, including former leaders Margaret Thatcher and Winston Churchill.
The former prime minister, who stepped down last June amid plunging popularity after 10 years in office, now juggles lucrative banking jobs with work as a Middle East peace envoy.
Curators said the work, commissioned by Parliament authorities, depicts an isolated and confrontational figure. It is the only formal portrait painted of Blair in office.
“I saw my role as a documentarist,” said artist Phil Hale, adding that the painting is a gritty reflection of Blair’s last weeks. “He had more pressing concerns than prettifying himself for a picture.”
Blair’s portrait will join 20 paintings of British lawmakers that line the walls of Portcullis House, a building opposite the Houses of Parliament.
Opposition Conservative lawmaker Hugo Swire, chairman of Parliament’s advisory committee on works of art, called the painting a “virtuoso piece.”
“I believe it is one of the most important additions we have made to our collection of contemporary portraits at the House of Commons in recent years,” Swire said.
Blair was the Labour party’s longest-serving prime minister, winning three consecutive national elections between 1997 and 2007.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
