Classically-trained portrait artist Isabella Watling has just been awarded the second prize in the National Portrait Gallery’s prestigious Herbert Smith Freehills Portrait Award 2024. Her portrait titled Zizi (2023) was selected from 1,647 entries and will be showcased among the top fifty portraits on display. 

This highly competitive Award, which has returned for its forty-second year, is one of the most important platforms for portrait painters and among one of the largest for any global art competition. Being awarded second place, Isabella Watling will receive £12,000. 

To celebrate this achievement, Isabella Watling will open an exclusive studio exhibition this September as she invites viewers into the heart of her creative process with a rare, behind-the-scenes look at her studio—a place where her acclaimed works come to life. 

Fusing together the timelessness of old master paintings with the contemporary allure of high fashion, her upcoming portrait exhibition features twenty-five quietly powerful and emotive oil paintings. All painted from life using a traditional sight-size technique, Isabella Watling: Portraits features a selection of women and men in beautifully crafted dresses and garments which juxtapose with the classical beauty achieved in the delicate handling of subtle shadows, rich textures and earthy colour palette.  

One of Britain’s leading portrait artists, Isabella Watling’s artistic journey unfolded at the age of 18 at the esteemed Charles H. Cecil Studios in Florence. With a focus on portrait and figure painting, she immersed herself in the rich history of Florence’s art scene and took inspiration from the classical painting techniques. Inspired by the likes of Titian, Velazquez, Van Dyck and John Singer Sargent, her art serves as a continuation of this esteemed tradition, breathing new life into classical portraiture. 

As she continues to navigate the dynamic landscape of the art world, Isabella Watling remains committed to preserving the tradition of portraiture while infusing it with her own unique perspective and style. Her portraits and their vibrant life-like quality and intricate depiction of fabrics, are a testament to her rigorous training in sight-size portraiture—a technique that preserves the vitality and scale of life under natural light, capturing the essence and subtle nuances of character from her subjects. 

Her approach to portraiture is meticulous, emphasising the capture of her subjects’ character and presence. Firmly believing in the power of painting from life, Isabella Watling works exclusively in oils, under natural light, and directly from the sitter. This methodical process demands significant time investment, with at least five sittings required for a head and shoulders portrait, and up to ten for a full-length depiction. 

Isabella Watling comments: “After a decade of creating in London, it felt right to open my studio and share some personal works alongside commissioned portraits, which are seldom seen by the public. Visitors will experience an array of my works, from intimate busts to commanding full-length pieces, all painted from life.It’s hard to get a true impression of the work from a photograph, so I am really excited for people to come and see the work and the studio that a lot of it was painted in. A lot of my work is done to commission so this will be a chance to showcase some portraits that I have painted for myself”. 

Join Isabella Watling this September for an intimate glimpse into the art and soul of contemporary portraiture at her exclusive studio showcase. More details to be announced.