What a painter. The art critic Laura Cumming said he was special and out on his own, or something like that, and put a big picture in the Observer. I couldn’t stop looking at it. His portrait of Henry Stuart with red legs and puff-tunic is ace – specific, metaphysical and terrific; and with a wonderful look on his face. And now, Lady Anne Pope with cherries danging round her… innocence? It doesn’t matter, it’s such a good idea to have ‘fill-in’ with dense out-of-scale cherries, and with leaves. No status symbol here, or positioning. The faces of his portraits are not all the same; and the inclusion of props of trees, castles and clouds for outside and silvery colours inside, plus the isolation of face-colour, completely suits me – I wish I had one of his paintings. His dogs are good as well, and his horses. Marcus Gheeraerts doesn’t have his magic.
Robert Peake's Lady Anne Pope 1615 Tate Britain Rehang
Tate Etc. invited a selection of contemporary artists featured in the new rehang of British art at Tate Britain to choose a favoured work from a fellow artist – past or present – also on display. Here, Rose Wylie discusses Robert Peake’s Lady Anne Pope 1615