It is a particularly exciting union of artist and sitter; Katz had known Wintour socially for some years and was fascinated by her highly-styled appearance. As a portrait painter, Katz has been highly influential on subsequent generations of artists who have embraced his minimal aesthetic and bold use of colour, including Julian Opie, who is represented in the GalleryÂ’s Collection. Katz is best known as a painter of people and the subjects of his portraits are at the centre of his cultural life. The portrait was made to coincide with the National Portrait GalleryÂ’s special display 'Alex Katz Portraits' in 2010.

Provenance

The artist.