Prince of Wales commissions seven artists to paint portraits of Holocaust survivors
The Prince of Wales has commissioned seven artists to paint portraits of seven Holocaust survivors. The paintings are to be publicly displayed at Buckingham Palace.
“As the number of Holocaust survivors sadly but inevitably declines, my abiding hope is that this special collection will act as a further guiding light,” Prince Charles said.
The portraits of Helen Aronson, 94, who survived the Lodz ghetto, Anita Lasker-Wallfisch, 96, a musician who played in an orchestra of inmates at Auschwitz and also survived Bergen-Belsen, and the other survivors, have been painted by Paul Benney, Peter Kuhfeld, Ishbel Myerscough, Clara Drummond, Massimiliano Pironti, Stuart Pearson Wright and Jenny Saville.
The paintings are to be a reminder of “history’s darkest days,” but will also show “humanity’s interconnectedness, as we strive to create a better world for our children, grandchildren and generations as yet unborn – one where hope is victorious over despair and love triumphs over hate,” Prince Charles said.
The project will also feature in a BBC Two documentary later this month that will present the survivors’ accounts.
Prince Charles has long been involved in the cause of Holocaust remembrance.
A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “The Prince of Wales has made it his mission to amplify the critical cause of Holocaust remembrance in Britain. With this unique project he has made yet another contribution to Holocaust education with his inimitable flair. We are grateful to Prince Charles for everything that he continues to do to make the lives and experiences of Holocaust survivors known to the wider public, particularly at a time when fewer and fewer direct testimonies are available.”