The Bed

Three paintings from Tracey Emin’s I Followed You to the End Exhibition

Upon visiting Tracey Emin’s “I Followed You to the End” exhibition at White Cube Bermondsey, I was struck by the recurring motif of the bed in her current work. I suppose this resonated with me as the bed also plays a significant role in my own Relationships Series of paintings. This got me thinking how other artists have used the bed in their art, the varied meanings it holds, and how my own use of this motif has developed over the years.

Early work from my Relationships Series of paintings

The bed has been a recurring motif in the works of many artists. Several notable painters like Vincent van Gogh, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, and Tracey Emin spring to mind.
Vincent van Gogh’s “Bedroom in Arles” series is perhaps one of the more famous examples of the bed as a motif. Painted in 1888, these works depict his simple bedroom in the Yellow House in Arles. The bed in these paintings probably symbolizes a sanctuary, a place of solace and personal retreat amidst the artist’s turbulent life. Maybe it’s a metaphor for van Gogh’s search for peace and stability in his life.

Toulouse Lautrec, In Bed

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec is one of my favourite artists. He often used beds as a stage for themes of intimacy and human connection. In his work, the bed is not merely a piece of furniture; it represents a private world where genuine connections are forged, away from the public eye. These snatched moments of true affection stand in stark contrast to the superficial affections of their working day.

Tracey Emin, My Bed

Tracey Emin’s use of the bed as a motif remains a powerful element in her recent work, building on the themes she established with “My Bed” (1998). In Emin’s art, I see the bed representing a deeply personal and autobiographical space, reflecting her experiences, emotions, and vulnerabilities. For someone who has endured long-term illness, the bed and bedroom take on even greater significance, often becoming the artist’s entire world for extended periods.

Relationships Series

The bed motif in my Relationships Series has evolved over time, reflecting the change in my own circumstances. Initially, the bed was depicted as a simple, intimate space, and the earlier paintings were autobiographical in nature. They were simply an observation of my own relationship.
As the series progressed, I wanted the bed to take on different meanings, representing not just physical intimacy but also emotional vulnerability and the complexities of relationships. I grew particularly interested in the physical and emotional distance separating couples.

man and woman

I became fascinated with the sense of loneliness that can exist even within intimate relationships – the bed became a symbol of both connection and isolation.

I want to resume work on this series, but have not decided how I will proceed. The direction I take depends on finding suitable subjects for my observations. My preference is to find people in actual relationships, but bringing two random individuals together for a sitting can also be interesting. I will keep you updated.

Two professional models posed for this later Relationships Series painting.

Life drawing

life drawing studies by artist Peter D'Alessandri

The Life Room

The Life Room has long been a cornerstone of artistic education. It provides a dynamic environment where artists and students can engage in close observation and immediate artistic creation.
Since my first introduction to the Life Room at art school,  I have always had a love of drawing the human figure. Aside from being a useful exercise in developing your technical skills and practising new techniques,  each human figure has an intrinsic beauty and uniqueness that offers endless forms of expression.

artist drawing life model in studio

Wherever I have lived (and I’ve moved around an awful lot in the last ten years) I always tried to find somewhere I could practice my life drawing. It wasn’t easy the past year in Eastbourne. I couldn’t find anywhere suitable for when I was free.
On moving back to London last week, the first thing I did was look for a good life drawing group. A quick search on Meetup found different classes each day and evening of the week. That’s the beauty of living in a big city. It has been a while since I’ve drawn from the model, and I couldn’t wait to get started.

life drawings of male nude in graphite and chalk

Drawing has always been an essential component of my art practice. It starts with preliminary sketches, evolves into detailed renderings of each subject, and culminates in the careful planning of layout and composition on the canvas. Drawing is the indispensable tool that transforms a mere spark of an idea into a fully realized painting.

Drawing From Life

My experience during lockdown reminded me of the incredible value of drawing from life. During this time I spent each day drawing something around me, from empty wine bottles to kitchen utensils. I’ve never been one for still-life, but I found that forcing myself to study the subject, regardless of how boring it may seem, enabled me to eventually see a new level of detail. Normally after an hour of studying the subject, it felt like a veil had been lifted. I could see subtle variations in tone that I hadn’t noticed before. I find this is exactly what happens during a life drawing session, and it is why I prefer longer poses

life model sitting next to life drawings
life model sitting next to life drawings

The Human Eye vs The Camera

When you draw from life, you’re constantly translating a three-dimensional world with its rich, dynamic range onto a flat surface with limited tones. This process is part of the magic of life drawing. In contrast, when you snap a photo, the camera does all these calculations for you. However, it might interpret things differently, often missing out on a wealth of details that get lost the moment you press the shutter.
In my past experiences hiring models, I was always too conscious of their hourly rate, which led me to rush through as many poses as possible to maximize my reference photos. Reflecting on those sessions, I realize this was a mistake. Moving forward, I plan to include at least one long pose in each session. This approach also applies to portrait sittings, which is why I always aim for a three-hour sitting for a portrait commission. Even if I later work from reference photos, that initial sitting is a crucial part of the process.

teddy posing for portrait

A few notes for people who would like to try life modelling

For anyone interested in trying out life modelling, The Register of Artists’ Models has some useful resources online.

modelreg.co.uk/st_AdviceForModels

And for anyone who would like to attend a life drawing class, Candid Arts Trust has different classes (tutored and untutored) most days of the week. You can join via Zoom, or attend in person if in London.

www.candidartslondon.com

Life drawings of male and female nudes from Candid Arts long pose sessions
Life drawings from Candid Arts long pose sessions

London Portrait Artist for Hire

London portrait artist Peter D'Alessandri in his studio

I have moved back to London and am busy trying to find a new studio space ready for my next projects. Don’t hesitate to contact me if you want to discuss commissioning a new artwork and would like to see some examples of my work.

artist in studio drawing a portrait

I specialise in portrait commissions. There is plenty of information elsewhere on this website about how to commission a painting, and how much it will cost. To find out more click on any of the links below, or get in touch via the email address on the Contact Page.

How to Commission a Portrait
How Much does a Portrait Painting Cost?
How to Commission a Nude Portrait

portrait paintings
details from a selection of portrait paintings

Art and War

artist in front of his painting alleged assault on pax by mars
detail from Alleged Assault on Pax by Mars

The Disaster of War.

Art and war – can art make a difference?
Aside from my portrait practice,  war and conflict has been the subject of much of my recent artwork. The unchecked march of ISIS across Iraq and Syria in 2014 first prompted me to address this subject. The current preparations for the impending war against China reinforced my interest. The political climate that was feeding this frenzy was the inspiration behind my painting “Alleged Assault on Pax by Mars” (shown above).
With the Russian invasion of Ukraine I felt compelled to work full time on “Men Wrestling” and “The Disasters of War”.  Even though I was neglecting more commercial work, I felt it was so very important to make a statement with these paintings. Now I am wondering if it was worth it.

detail from painting men wrestling, with two naked wrestlers clinched in combat
detail from Men Wrestling

What was the point?

The Israel-Hamas war has left me feeling empty. Its brutality has shocked me, and I have been appalled by people’s reactions to it. I have no desire to pick up my paintbrushes and say anything about this war. Other than it disgusts me. I am disappointed in humanity. It seems we are no more than beasts.
So in this dark mood I heard an interview with legendary war photographer Don McCullin, where he spoke about how depressed he was with the present conflict.

‘I am slightly depressed in a way, because I think everything I’ve done concerning international conflict, everything I have contributed to showing how awful it is, I think has been a waste of time really.’

‘I’ve looked at so many wars, I’ve been in so many wars, and nothing has changed.’

The BBC interview: Acclaimed war photographer: ‘I don’t believe I ever made difference’

bombardment by philip guston
Bombardment, 1937, by Philip Guston. A reaction to the bombing of Guernica

He summed up exactly how I was thinking, and got me wondering if art really can make a difference. I’ve started looking out for paintings about war in my gallery visits. At the recent Philip Guston exhibition at the Tate I saw his painting Bombardment (photo above). It’s a reaction to the bombing of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War. I hadn’t realised that many artists responded to this event. I was only familiar with Picasso’s masterpiece. Clearly none of them made any difference at the time. Instead of significantly influencing public opinion, they instead became just another record of the atrocity.

Producing my anti-war paintings may be no more than a cathartic experience. If that is the case, what really is the point in painting them?
I suppose it’s a bit like joining a protest march. Each little voice might not make much difference, but it helps make that call for change a little louder.


You can see and read about my paintings about the Ukraine War in the posts below:
An awkward conversation about my Ukraine War painting
The Disasters of War

Why Commission a Portrait Painting

subject posing in artist studio for portrait

Why do people have their portrait painted?

This is a question I often ask myself. Commissioning a portrait is not a spontaneous decision. It requires an investment of time and money. It’s not just about recording a likeness, otherwise a photo will do. So why choose to commission an artist to paint your portrait? And is there a serious role for portrait painting in the modern world?

portrait of Egyptian artist Tarique M
Egyptian artist Tarique M with my portrait of him, standing in front of one of his landscape paintings

Fear of Death

I have heard it said that portraiture begins with a fear of death – an anxiety about impermanence.
When I lost my late partner to illness, I turned to painting to somehow fix, make real, my fading memory of her. I became acutely aware that with every passing day I had to think harder to recall her smile. I felt compelled to paint her a number of times after her death, I suppose in an attempt to preserve my relationship.
I have countless photos of my late partner, but I find none of them as evocative as my paintings of her.

portrait painting of artist's late partner veronica
Veronica

Status

In the past a portrait was a symbol of wealth and status. But that was mainly down to the cost. Nowadays art materials cost a fraction of what they did, and artists are similarly no longer a scarce resource. For that reason a painted portrait won’t afford you the status that it would have in the past, so that’s no longer a reason to commission one.
However, the good news is that commissioning a portrait is more affordable today than it has ever been.

How Much Does a Portrait Painting Cost?

detail of portrait of woman in blue denim jacket

It’s not just a moment in time

A painted portrait can be so much more than just a snapshot of the sitter – it is a record of the sitting and the entire time spent posing for the artist. It can also tell a story. It can allude to their past, and even suggest the future.
I am sometimes asked to paint a portrait to commemorate a special moment in a relationship. It might be an anniversary or birthday, or even a celebration of surviving an illness. I like to think that the portraits I have painted are more than just records of my brief encounter with the sitter, but are evocations of special moments and memories.

portrait painting with closeup, showing detail

“Portraiture stands apart from other genres of art as it marks the intersection between portrait, biography and history. They are more than artworks; when people look at portraits, they think they are encountering that person,”
Alison Smith, chief curator National Portrait Gallery London.

The sitting and the importance of drawing

I find drawing is an essential step in the process of producing a portrait. Even when asked to work from photos, I will never skip the preparatory drawing stage. The act of drawing, of closely observing the subject for two or three hours,  reveals qualities and attributes that I would not have noticed otherwise. This close observation enhances my understanding and connection with the subject, which I believe  leads to a more intimate and informed representation of the sitter.

drawing of still life

“Drawing takes time. A line has time in it.”
David Hockney

The Process

What distinguishes portrait painting from photography is the extended process required to produce a painting. I will have to go through the same steps that a portrait photographer will go through (choosing pose, attire, lighting, location) but that will only be the very first step in a longer and sometimes arduous journey.
I paint in oil paint. It can be a challenging medium, what with the fumes and long drying time, but it is so versatile and can produce sublime results. I am constantly learning new methods and techniques. I did once dabble with digital art. It’s just not the same. I soon saw that no computer algorithm can recreate the wonderful unpredictability of oil paint. The same things that are so frustrating about this medium are also it’s greatest qualities. When you load a bristle brush with a lump of oil paint and run it along the coarse surface of the canvas, you can’t predict exactly how it will turn out. It will often disappoint, but sometimes the simplest brushstroke can amaze. When you buy a painting, you are buying the product of that struggle between artist and medium.

portrait painting of redhead with detailed closeup

Is Portrait Painting still relevant?

So those are some of my thoughts on why commissioning a portrait painting is still relevant in this day and age. In the modern world where all the talk is about NFTs and AI, there is a reassuring beauty and appeal about a traditionally painted portrait. It is so much more than just a likeness rendered on canvas. It is the product of a long process. It’s a journey that starts with the subject sitting down in front of the artist.

artist painting a portrait in the studio

Available for Commissions

You can find more information here: How to Commission a Portrait
I have a price guide here: How Much Does a Portrait Cost?

If you’re interested in commissioning a portrait, or would just like more information, please do get in touch. I’m happy to arrange a phone or video call, or a studio visit if convenient. First please email via address on my Contact Page.

I have written a few case studies of previous commissions. They show you some of the decisions that had to be made in commissioning a portrait:
Portrait Case Studies

selection of portrait paintings from the artist's studio
selection of portraits in my studio

Further information about the relevance of portraiture:

Why do Painted Portraits Still Matter? from a lecture by Sandy Nairne, Director, London National Portrait Gallery, given at the Canberra National Portrait Gallery in 2006.

Sotheby’s Talks: Facing Now: Why Portraits Still Matter with Simon Schama, Eleanor Nairne, and Helena Newman