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			BP Portrait Award at the National Portrait Gallery Commissioned portraits Part of the first prize for winning the BP Portrait Award is a commission to paint a portrait that subsequently enters the Gallery's collection. The portraits below are some of the resulting commissions.

			Dame Vivien Louise Duffield by Charlotte Harris Winner in 2003 oil on canvas, 2005	Chairman, The Clore Foundation

			Dame Cicely Mary Strode Saunders by Catherine Goodman Winner in 2002 oil on canvas, 2005	Physician and Medical Director. A pioneer of modern palliative care, Dame Cicely Saunders established St. Christopher's Hospice in 1967 as the first research and teaching hospice linked with clinical care. St. Christopher's aims to provide the relief of 'total pain' through physical, psychological, social and spiritual care. Dame Cicely was President and a Founder Trustee of the Cicely Saunders Foundation, a charity set up in 2002 to improve the care of people at the end of life, wherever they are cared for.

			Joanne Kathleen ('J.K.') Rowling by Stuart Pearson Wright Winner in 2001 oil on board construction with coloured pencil on paper, 2005	J. K. Rowling, creator of the Harry Potter books, has said that the character and plot came to her 'fully formed' during a train journey in 1990. She began writing shortly afterwards when she moved to Portugal to teach English. Later, as a single mother living in Edinburgh, she continued working on the manuscript in longhand. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (1997), was the first of a planned series of seven - one for every year Potter spends at Hogwarts, a school for Wizards. The phenomenally successful series has the rare capacity to captivate both child and adult audiences alike. Her books have been translated into 61 languages, sold over a quarter of a billion copies worldwide and been made into major feature films.

			Fiona Mary Shaw by Victoria Kate Russell Winner in 2000 oil on canvas, 2002	Irish born actress, who graduated from RADA in 1982. Often hailed as one of the finest classical performers in Britain. Her stage appearances are characteristically controversial and powerful, notably her title roles in Richard II, Electra and most recently Medea, all collaborations with director Deborah Warner. Theatre awards include two Laurence Olivier awards for best actress. Although foremost a stage performer, she has made film appearances in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, she played the hero's wicked Aunt Dursley. Victoria Russell graduated from Central St Martin's College of Art with a first class degree in Fine Art in 1994 before undertaking a diploma at the Royal Academy Schools.

			Sir Ian Murray McKellen by Clive Smith Winner in 1999 oil on canvas, 2002	Actor of stage and screen. Widely regarded as one of the leading actors of his generation Has played numerous leads in the classical and modern repertoire in theatres worldwide. Born in Burnley and educated at Cambridge University, he made his London debut in A Scent of Flowers (1964). His stage performances, particularly of Shakespeare, are legendary and include title roles in Richard II (1969) and Macbeth, in which he played opposite Dame Judi Dench (1976-7). Nominated for two Academy Awards for his performances in Gods and Monsters (1998) and as Gandalf the Grey in Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Rings (2002).

			John Robert Fowles by Tomas Watson Winner in 1998 oil on linen, 2001	Novelist born in Leigh-on-Sea and educated at Edinburgh University and New College, Oxford, where he studied French and German. A master of layered story-telling, illusionism and ambiguous endings, he has worked in a variety of genres from psychological thriller, The Collector (1963) to mythological magic realism, The Magus (1966). His semi-historical novel, The French Lieutenant's Woman (1969) was made into a film in 1981, directed by Karel Reisz with Meryl Streep in the title role and screenplay by Harold Pinter.

			Sir Paul Brierley Smith by James Lloyd Winner in 1997 oil on canvas, 1998	Clothes designer; founder of Paul Smith Ltd Nottingham (1970), wholesaler in 34 countries with shops in London, Nottingham, New York, Paris and the Far East. Member of the Design Council and the Government appointed Creative Industries Taskforce; knighted 2000. James Lloyd held the Paul Smith scholarship at the Slade School of Art (1994-6). The portrait was painted in the artist's studio near London Bridge; in the background on the right is a photograph of an earlier painting by James Lloyd in Paul Smith's collection.

			Sir Michael Caine by James Hague Winner in 1996 oil on board, 1998	Actor of international fame whose numerous film roles have included those in Zulu (1963), The Ipcress File (1965), Sleuth (1973) and Educating Rita (1983).

			Helen Mirren by Ishbel Myerscough Winner in 1995 oil on board, 1997	Stage and screen actress; her distinguished career ranges from the Royal Shakespeare Company to Hollywood roles and the huge success of the television series Prime Suspect, in which she plays DCI Jane Tennison. Ishbel Myserscough, who trained at Glasgow School of Art, paints entirely from life and is used to frequent and prolonged sittings with her subjects. The small scale of this portrait reflects the artist's solution to capturing a busy sitter: the work was completed in one week at Helen Mirren's house in Los Angeles.

			Kazuo Ishiguro by Peter Edwards Winner in 1994 oil on canvas, 1995	Novelist; born in Japan, came to England aged six; author of The Remains of the Day (1989, winner of the Booker Prize and adapted for the screen), The Unconsoled (1995) and his latest work, When We Were Orphans, published in April 2000. Link Peter Edwards' website

			Sir Anthony Dowell by Philip Harris Winner in 1993 oil on canvas, 1995	A dancer and (since 1986) Director of the Royal Ballet; among the most notable roles Dowell has created are Oberon in The Dream (1964), Troyte in Enigma Variations (1968) and Beliaev in A Month in the Country (1976).

			Lord and Lady Longford by Lucy Willis Winner in 1992 oil on canvas, 1993	Francis Pakenham, Lord Longford; Author, publisher, politician and penal reformer. Elizabeth Pakenham, Lady Longford; Historian and biographer.

			Harold Pinter by Justin Mortimer Winner in 1991 oil on canvas, 1992	Playwright, director and (from 1949-57) actor; his highly influential plays include The Caretaker (1960), The Birthday Party (1957) and Party Time (1991); screenplays include Accident (1967) and The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981).

			Tessa Blackstone, Baroness Blackstone by Annabel Cullen Winner in 1990 oil on canvas, 1991	Minister of State for Education and Employment (since 1997); Master of Birkbeck College (1987-1997); Chairman of the BBC's General Advisory Council (1987-1991)

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