Experts applaud Botham ‘hanging’

Press, 24 January 1986, Page 30

Experts applaud Botham ‘hanging’

NZPA-PA London The England cricketer, lan Botham, has become the first cricketer since W. G. Grace to have his picture hung in the National Portrait Gallery in London. Art experts yesterday applauded the painting, which the artist, John Bellamy, claimed captured the “aura” — not the physical likeness, but ordinary art lovers voiced their disapproval. The portrait, commissioned by the gallery’s trustees, shows Botham

In cricket sweater with the red, green, black and yellow colours of his manager Tim Hudson’s Hollywood XI. “Narrow-eyed,” “bard faced,” “too calculating” and “where’s the humour” were comments from some of the first viewers of the picture, unveiled yesterday. One cricket fan even thought it looked more like “a younger version of a fellow England cricketer, Paul Allott” — while an art student said it seemed to be “a 14-

year-old face on a man’s body.” But the artist, and the gallery director, Dr John Hayes, are delighted with the picture. So are Botham and his wife, Kathryn, who missed yesterday’s ceremony because they have flu and are confined to their hotel in Hong Kong. Hudson, wearing cricket pullover, cowboy hat and earring, said Botham was particularly pleased. “He is delighted with the painting. It is more

than be expected as he thought he might be painted like a Joshua Reynolds,” he said. Dr Hayes said: “It is a powerful image, larger than life, like an early Renaissance portrait I like its colours and resonance and the way it takes you back in art history.” Bellamy, aged 43, is known for his symbolic work. “I wanted to capture lan’s presence both physical and spiritual — the aura he commands when be steps on to the

cricket field and the crowd trembles,” he said. “I don’t care what some people say, it’s up to everyone to judge, but I am pleased with It” The picture was based on one 14-hour sitting in October when Botham was preparing for his John O’Groats to Land’s End sponsored walk for leukaemia research. Graham Otway, the Press Association cricket correspondent writes: “Since his charity walk Botham has trimmed his figure considerably. John

Bellamy’s portrait looks more like a caricature of an athlete overfed on steroids. “The neck, too, is wrong. While Botham often plays cricket like a bull in a china shop, he does NOT have a bullneck.

“The shape of the face is more Oval than Lordly and Botham’s expensively. styled hair is rarely matted to the side of his head. It is a good job that Bellamy has abstractly written Botham’s name on the canvas to help with identification.”