Famous Portraits of Kings

Don't let the limited number of paintings in this category deceive you. The thinness of this category is based on nothing more than my personal preference for which paintings I’m adding first. By rights, this category should be one of the most full. For you see, most successful artists eagerly sought out commissions and court appointments from their rulers. Having the patronage of a king provided both safety as well as a steady income. Not to mention, patronage of your king did wonders for the price of your paintings.

The great, and even not so great, kings of the world commissioned numerous artists to paint their portraits. A gift of a portrait of the king was commonplace in an era where most countries were ruled by monarchies. It was quite the proper thing for a diplomat to visit a country bearing a portrait of his king as a gift for the king or queen receiving him.

Royal families, kings and their heirs in particular, often commissioned fine portraits to mark the event of their weddings and coronations. Some monarchs would patronize a single artist but most would engage several during their reigns. For now, we only have three portraits of kings. Two of the paintings are of sitting monarchs and one of a prince who would unexpectedly become king. I have little doubt that there will be more gentlemen joining these three in the near future, so please check back to see what other handsome fellows we've added to this gallery of kings.