£250,000 Bill For Portraits Of Politicians?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2539190/Parliament-posers-Taxpayer-billed-250-000-MPs-order-paintings-statues-photographs-other.html

In these days of austerity do we really need to spend money on paintings of politicians?

Perhaps for historical purposes we could stretch to portraits of past Prime ministers but for those 'who are first to do things' is surely a 'painting to far'?

/// He added that the selection of some subjects was 'almost automatic' including former prime ministers, Commons Speakers and people 'who are the first to do things', including Miss Abbott, the first black woman elected to Parliament. ///

[Bazile]

Just take a picture of the subjects in question

[VHG]

Must agree with Bazile.

In the days before cameras then rich families would have painting down of themselves.

But now we have cameras why not just have photographic portraits done, rather than paintings which actually often don't look like the person (or in Diane Abbot's case, are rather scary and horrifying)

[TWR]

We are all in it together, my @rse, do as I say not as I do, typical parasites.

[Gromit]

That is over nearly 20 years.

And we have been in austerity for 5 years. I would hope that there haven't been as many artworks recently, but the useless article doesn't tell us.

How many Royal portraits and photgraphs over the same period?

[ToraToraTora]

Bargain, can I buy one?

[Gromit]

The tradition of commissioning artworks of Prime Ministers, Speakers, Parliamentarian and Party leaders, literally goes back centuries. Of the many traditions that the House maintains, this one is worth keeping.

http://www.parliament.uk/about/art-in-parliament/

[Postdog]

Could have been worse...Rolf Harris could have painted them.

[ToraToraTora]

Can ya see wad it is yit?

[ToraToraTora]

I'd definately buy one of those Gromit.

[mushroom25]

who on earth painted that painting of diane abbott? it makes her look like one of those clay facsimiles from "meet the ancestors"......

[jomifl]

There must be some software available that can 'portraitise' a photo. The portait could then be modified to convey the character of the sitter, simply by pressing the appropriate button such as slimeball, creep, bitch, arrogant, deceitful, pompous,etc. Although the ministry of portraits would have to pay several millions to get the software written as they wouldn't be able to use anything off the shelf.

[Zeuhl]

/The spending spree since 1995.../

The Daily Mail writers are either very stupid or rely on most of their readers being so.

A spend of £250K over 18 years = £14,000 a year

some spending spree! I wonder what is Parliament's annual budget for bottled water? or A4 paper? or air fresheners?

Rees-Mogg is right. 20 key artworks over 18 years and a long tradition before that.

Apparently, in this case the mindless penny pinchers don't know the 'value' or the 'price'

[Gromit]

A certain someone seems over presented...


http://www.parliament.uk/worksofart/artwork/henry-mee/the-rt-hon-margaret-thatcher-om-mp-prime-minister/3634

http://www.parliament.uk/worksofart/artwork/neil-simmons/baroness-margaret-thatcher-/s516

http://www.parliament.uk/worksofart/artwork/antony-dufort/baroness-margaret-thatcher/s531

[browntrout]

You can't have too many portraits of the baroness. greatest post-war prime minister after all.

[Gromit]

Browntrout.
I agree that the three Thatcher artworks are there on merit.

Do you not also agree that the Mail missed an excuse to print one of the many wonderful artworks of the Baroness and instead used one of Lardy Abbot and that clot Ken Clark. What were they thinking?

[jno]

so I was wrong. William Hague is an oil painting.

[woofgang]

lol jno

[woofgang]

so long as he's not a nude statue!!

[browntrout]

Gromit,

Is that Diane Abbott, I thought it was a rugby player from Fiji. why not some other notable firsts. 1st postmaster-general to fake his own drowning for instance.

[Gromit]

I realise that is a reference to John Stonehouse and events 40 years ago (ever topical browntrout).
What I don't get is why you referenced him? Parlament does not own a Stonehouse portrait.