Grayson Perry and Rylan Clark

[Deleted User] · 25/10/14 - 20:08

Not absolutely sure why, but Grayson Perry has done this rather endearing portrait of Rylan Clark, titled Earl of Essex. It can be seen in the National Portrait Gallery - which is rather an honour imo - and you can have a print of it for a bargain five grand. I wouldn't mind a post-card if they want to print some off for, say, 80p...

http://www.expressandstar.com/entertainment/showbiz-news/2014/10/22/perrys-rylan-pic-a-money-spinner/

Lucy Lou · 25/10/14 - 20:44

I'd have a keyring for 50p

Not sure it really looks like Rylan to me.
The portrait reminds me of someone else but I can't think who?

hardtimes · 25/10/14 - 20:54

Lucy Lou wrote: »

I'd have a keyring for 50p

Not sure it really looks like Rylan to me.
The portrait reminds me of someone else but I can't think who?

Reminds me of Roger from American Dad

Pitman · 26/10/14 - 14:23

you don't recognise him because Grayson avoided comedy temptation by not painting in Rylan's hampsteads

Fried Kickin · 26/10/14 - 15:15

Looks like the one from Beavis & Butthead.

phil solo · 26/10/14 - 17:56

Perry is an Essex Boy himself so that might be part of it?

miaow · 26/10/14 - 23:08

I like it - he looks like a Cluedo character

LiamOK · 26/10/14 - 23:31

Yeah really what is this all about, why Rylan? I seen the ads for Grayson Perry's show on Channel 4 last week and in the trailer there was Rylan winning CBB - I was just like 'huh', didn't watch but still have no clue why Rylan.

All about human identity and stuff, blehh I have no idea. Rylan the face for some deep, scientific, artistic philosophical thing? - blows my mind, maybe that's why ahhh brain dead.

[Deleted User] · 27/10/14 - 01:36

I suspect that Grayson Perry saw him and thought he looked like an Elizabethan minature, which is what he has depicted him as. Here, for example, is Walter Raleigh: http://www.incredibleart.org/lessons/elem/images/tudor.jpg

Jim_McIntosh · 27/10/14 - 02:01

Looks like a conquistador.

Avidian · 28/10/14 - 05:27

Late one night it occurred to me that Rylan was like the equivalent of being in drag...a caricature for the zelebrities from Essex (with the tan and the big white teeth and everything), in the same way that drag queens are exaggeration of femanity...he's an exaggeration of Essexers....but he can't be called a Drag Queen....nor is he a Drag King....of Essex.

Grayson Perry often dresses as a woman - here is Grayson Perry accepting a CBE (from Prince Charles) as his female alter-ego Claire (not from Steps), who he once describes as "a cross between Katie Boyle and Camilla Parker-Bowles":

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/honours-list/10595005/Grayson-Perry-collects-CBE-in-Italian-mother-of-the-bride-outfit.html

I wonder if Grayson went through a similar (but obviously more sophisticated and artistic) thought process about Rylan and came up with the idea of the Earl of Essex.

The best-known of the many holders of the title "Earl of Essex" is Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex:

http://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw02132/Robert-Devereux-2nd-Earl-of-Essex

There are a lot of pictures of Robert Devereux, most of them feature him with his Lesser George :eek::

https://encrypted.google.com/search?q=Robert+Devereux&biw=1088&bih=494&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=lQ9PVOK5Fo_xaKqHgbAD&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAg

The chain and pendant of the Lesser George, part of the insignia of the Order of the Garter, is replaced by....a back stage pass? in Grayson Perry's picture of Rylan....the pass is part if the insignia of the Order of the Zelebrity?

[Deleted User] · 28/10/14 - 09:53

Avidian wrote: »

The chain and pendant of the Lesser George, part of the insignia of the Order of the Garter, is replaced by....a back stage pass? in Grayson Perry's picture of Rylan....the pass is part if the insignia of the Order of the Zelebrity?

Yes, excellent research.

I am happy that the Earl of Essex's wife was called Lettice Knollys...Though I would say that whoever painted this portrait wasn't very good at breasts...http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZXCkvPoR6gM/TZoqv2EKadI/AAAAAAAAH1U/p8pT8pKU8LQ/s1600/lettice_knollys_daughter_sir_hi.jpg

Avidian · 29/10/14 - 06:18

wonkeydonkey wrote: »

Yes, excellent research. I am happy that the Earl of Essex's wife was called Lettice Knollys...Though I would say that whoever painted this portrait wasn't very good at breasts...http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZXCkvPoR6gM/TZoqv2EKadI/AAAAAAAAH1U/p8pT8pKU8LQ/s1600/lettice_knollys_daughter_sir_hi.jpg

I see what you mean

The breasts look remarkably....robust

I think that's a actually picture of Lettice Knollys, who was, confusingly, the niece of Lettice Knollys who married Robert Dudley and was the mother of Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lettice_Knollys

Veri · 31/10/14 - 15:51

LiamOK wrote: »

Yeah really what is this all about, why Rylan? I seen the ads for Grayson Perry's show on Channel 4 last week and in the trailer there was Rylan winning CBB - I was just like 'huh', didn't watch but still have no clue why Rylan.

All about human identity and stuff, blehh I have no idea. Rylan the face for some deep, scientific, artistic philosophical thing? - blows my mind, maybe that's why ahhh brain dead.

Perhaps this had something to do with it:

But analysis gets you where, precisely? In Wednesday’s programme, in addition to Huhne, Perry talked to Celebrity Big Brother winner, model and singer Rylan Clark, who said, poignantly: “I don’t think I’ll ever be happy. It’s all fake.”

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/oct/26/chris-huhne-default-man-grayson-perry

Veri · 31/10/14 - 15:55

wonkeydonkey wrote: »

Yes, excellent research. I am happy that the Earl of Essex's wife was called Lettice Knollys...Though I would say that whoever painted this portrait wasn't very good at breasts...http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZXCkvPoR6gM/TZoqv2EKadI/AAAAAAAAH1U/p8pT8pKU8LQ/s1600/lettice_knollys_daughter_sir_hi.jpg

Avidian wrote: »

I see what you mean

The breasts look remarkably....robust

I think that's a actually picture of Lettice Knollys, who was, confusingly, the niece of Lettice Knollys who married Robert Dudley and was the mother of Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lettice_Knollys

I still can't make sense of Wonkey's remark.

Why couldn't that be pretty much how she actually looked?

Does this seem more realistic?

[Deleted User] · 31/10/14 - 20:09

Veri wrote: »

I still can't make sense of Wonkey's remark.

Why couldn't that be pretty much how she actually looked?

Does this seem more realistic?

I just thought they looked a bit odd. I've seen worse.

Hey there!

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Grayson Perry and Rylan Clark

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