Portrait of Jeanne Ryckmans by M D Lynn
Jeanne Ryckmans, daughter of sinologist Pierre Ryckmans, is a television presenter and producer based in Sydney. I have known her for only a few years and I felt she would make a wonderful subject, as she projects a very definite visual image. Not knowing her very well added to the directness of this visual image I had of her, which meant that I could, perhaps, idealise her in a certain way, (I know more about her now and I would paint a very different portrait!). Stylistically, this portrait combines my love of Venetian and Spanish painting with the wonderful sense of space found in Chinese and Japanese painting.Amongst other things, what I aimed to capture was that particular meeting between us at that time. Perhaps it is this residual effect of a meeting, above all else, that makes fro a strong portrait and I believe turns the "portrait" into a "painting", not just a picture representing the limits of a strict likeness. One can feel this, for example, with Giovanni Bellini's portrait of "The Doge Leonardo Loredan", in the National Gallery, London. Having seen other portraits of this sitter, one can sense Bellini's face almost superimposed on that of the Doge, inflating the Doge's features. It has been suggested by a friend that my portrait of Jeanne Ryckmans is as much a self portrait! Well, if true, I think I'll just have to live with that.
M D Lynn's portrait of Jeanne Ryckmans was the runner-up for the Archibald Prize this year, and was winner of the people's choice award.