Spacey, king of the Old Vic, plays to the gallery

A portrait of Kevin Spacey as Richard III has been chosen for a major London art show at the National Portrait Gallery.

P3 EDITION 29.05 Undated handout photo issued by the National Portrait Gallery of a portrait of Kevin Spacey as Richard III which will be one of several new works by Jonathan Yeo to be included in a major display of the artists work at the National Portrait Gallery this autumn. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Wednesday May 29, 2013. Jonathan Yeo painted the American Beauty and House Of Cards actor while he played the title role in Shakespeare's Richard III at the Old Vic, where Spacey is artistic director. The Oscar winner, 53, was painted in full costume while on stage and in his dressing room during his run as the stage villain in the Sam Mendes production in 2011. See PA story SHOWBIZ Spacey. Photo credit should read: Jonathan Yeo/National Portrait Gallery/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.

29 May 2013

A striking painting of Kevin Spacey in the role of Richard III is to go on show at the National Portrait Gallery.

The picture, painted during the production’s run at the Old Vic in 2011, will be part of an exhibition dedicated to the work of British portrait artist Jonathan Yeo.

Yeo, 42, took photographs of the Hollywood actor both on stage and in his dressing room during the play to help with the work, which was then finished in his studio. Spacey, who is also artistic director of the Old Vic, is shown in full costume as the hunchback king with a rakishly tilted crown.

Yeo suggested doing the portrait after meeting the star over a number of years at exhibitions. “He’s a supporter of artists. He hadn’t sat for a portrait before but when the idea came up of doing it in character, he liked it.

“But he’s terribly busy. Getting him to sit still for a few minutes was a challenge,” Yeo said.

“There’s a tradition of theatrical portraits that doesn’t happen so much these days. The thing with actors is you never quite know where the character ends and they start. Hopefully there’s a big ambiguity.”

The American star deserves his temporary place on the walls of the National Portrait Gallery, Yeo added. “I think when he arrived 10 years ago, so many theatreland observers assumed he would be quickly on a plane back to Hollywood.

“But he stayed and he turned the Old Vic around and made it something exciting. For someone who is not a British subject, he has become a national treasure.”

The work will be seen alongside portraits of figures including Rupert Murdoch, the artist Grayson Perry and actress Sienna Miller — although probably not the one of her naked and pregnant.

The gallery commissioned Yeo, a regular exhibitor in its BP Portrait Award, to paint the broadcaster Sir Michael Parkinson three years ago. His other famous sitters have included film stars Nicole Kidman and Dennis Hopper.

To have a complete exhibition of his works will fulfil a childhood dream, Yeo said. “It’s the first gallery I got excited about going to.”

The works will be on loan to the gallery, whose mission is to represent British subjects — although figures seen to have contributed to British society can be acquired for its collection.

Jonathan Yeo Portraits, supported by the David Ross Foundation and The Tony Banks Memorial Trust, will run from September 11 to January 5, 2014, admission free.