The Portrait

One of many contributions to the celebration of Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee in 2012 was Canada's commissioning of artist Phil Richards to paint a portrait of Her Majesty for display in Buckingham Palace. Produced by the National Film Board of Canada, director Hubert Davis's short documentary follows the creation of the painting: from the original commission up through Richards' meticulous preparations—including working with small models of the monarch—to the unveiling of the finished work for Elizabeth in a typically elaborate ceremony. The Portrait is essentially an illustrated lecture during which Richards talks exuberantly about the art of portraiture (and of painting in general), while sketching his own biography and describing in considerable detail the step-by-step process that he followed in this particular case—which, he observes, differed from most in that he was able to spend only minimal time with the subject. Davis skillfully interweaves shots of Richards' recollections with montages of still photographs, artwork, home movies, and newly shot footage of Richards' travels to England. One can debate the quality of the portrait that Richards eventually produced—as he himself admits, his traditional, almost photographic style has never won him many critical plaudits—but Davis's film is revealing and visually exuberant. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)