200YEARS-010724 - Flipbook - Page 49
ANONYMOUS
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circa 1880s/1@/!0/111 2420
Oil on canvas
123 X 87.5 cm
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The portrait photograph of King
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Naruemit (Francis Chit)
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The expansion of trade and the influx of foreigners into Siam
led the elite to become receptive to Western ideas and
technology. During the reign of His Majesty King Mongkut
(King Rama IV), the belief that posing for a portrait or sculpture
was inauspicious or would shorten one9s life was challenged.
King Mongkut was the first king to allow his portrait
to be painted by foreign artists. He also commissioned
a statue of himself to be sent as a reciprocal gift to King
Napoleon III, who had sent royal tributes to him. During His
Majesty King Chulalongkorn9s reign (King Rama V), there
was a strong appreciation for art. King Chulalongkorn
initiated the construction of palaces and the decoration
of buildings with European-style furnishings. He also sent
photographs of himself and items belonging to the royal
family to European artists to create larger oil paintings
of his portrait. Since photographic technology at that
time could not accurately display colors, real costumes
and accessories were sent along with the photographs
to ensure the paintings were as realistic as possible. King
Chulalongkorn made two trips to Europe in 1897 and 1907,
during which he visited artists9 studios to pose as a model.
These sessions were lengthy and sometimes required
multiple visits. Notable artists he met during this period
included Edoardo Gelli, Michele Gordigiani, and Charles
Emile Auguste Carolus-Duran. The paintings displayed
here are by an unknown artist, presumed to be one of the
European artists to whom King Rama V sent photographs,
costumes, and accessories. There is a photograph of
the royal portrait that corresponds with this painting.
The artist used realistic oil paints on canvas, blending
background colors with a neo-classical atmosphere. This
painting beautifully reflects the monarch9s presentation,
akin to that of Western kings and heads of state.
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