David Downton

AT CLARIDGE'S

AT CLARIDGE'S


ARTIST IN RESIDENCE
SINCE 2011


In 2011, I was appointed the first ever Artist in Residence at Claridge’s. The idea, cooked up by the doyenne of London PRs, Paula Fitzherbert, was simple; instead of photographing the hotel’s illustrious guests - as had happened in the past - we would ask them to sit for a drawing. There was a lot to live up to: images of Jackie O, Winston Churchill, Audrey Hepburn and HM the Queen stand sentinel in the lobby, symbolizing an era when glamour went with gravitas and the world looked better in black and white. Then too, there was the not inconsiderable task of persuading high-profile visitors juggling the kind of schedules that would give a politician pause, that they might like to pose for a portrait. Somewhat to our surprise, they have all agreed, and today the drawings hang together in the ‘Talking Heads’ gallery. What conversations they have.
1/19
Stephen Jones
2/19
Sarah Jessica Parker
3/19
Erin O'Connor
4/19
Harris Reed
5/19
Carmen dell'Orefice
6/19
Pierpaolo Piccioli
7/19
Dita Von Teese
8/19
Leslie Caron
9/19
Michael Howells
10/19
Zandra Rhodes
11/19
Paul Smith
12/19
Virginia Bates
13/19
Joan Collins
14/19
Denise Hale
15/19
Alber Elbaz
16/19
Diane Von Furstenberg
17/19
Edward Enninful
18/19
Daphne Guiness
19/19
Emma Weymouth
Restart Gallery

At Claridge's

In 2011, I was appointed the first ever Artist in Residence at Claridge’s. Read More

ARTIST IN RESIDENCE
SINCE 2011

1/19
Stephen Jones

2/19
Sarah Jessica Parker

3/19
Erin O'Connor

4/19
Harris Reed

5/19
Carmen dell'Orefice

6/19
Pierpaolo Piccioli

7/19
Dita Von Teese

8/19
Leslie Caron

9/19
Michael Howells

10/19
Zandra Rhodes

11/19
Paul Smith

12/19
Virginia Bates

13/19
Joan Collins

14/19
Denise Hale

15/19
Alber Elbaz

16/19
Diane Von Furstenberg

17/19
Edward Enninful

18/19
Daphne Guiness

19/19
Emma Weymouth