About this artwork
The sitter in this portrait is the acclaimed actor Tilda Swinton. Her numerous film credits include Caravaggio (1986) directed by Derek Jarman, Orlando (1992), Disney’s The Chronicles of Narnia series (2005-2010) and The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014). This portrait was painted by Swinton’s former partner, John Byrne (1940–2023) . Byrne said of this portrait: ‘I always wanted to paint what I thought of as a ‘formal’ in the sense of substantial, life-sized and quintessentially her. In other words, I was out to capture her essence…I wanted to produce something that was more of an icon than a photographic or slavishly realistic image. The big pile of scripts she’s sitting on are the ones she’s turned down and the small pile by her right foot are the ones she’s done.’
Updated December 2023
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artist:John Byrne (1940 - 2023) Scottish
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title:Red and Unread (Portrait of Tilda Swinton)
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date created:2002 - 2004
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materials:Oil on board
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measurements:180.00 x 120.00 cm; Framed: 261.30 x 138.70 x 3.40 cm / 21.00 kg
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object type:
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credit line:On long term loan from a private collection, 2019
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accession number:PGL 2512
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gallery:
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depicted:
John Byrne
John Byrne
Byrne was born in Paisley and studied at Glasgow School of Art from 1958 to 1963. He worked as an artist, playwright and theatre designer. Byrne used a variety of styles and techniques as he always tried to avoid being associated with particular styles or movements in art. In 1967, following a lack...