Queen gets 97 works by top British artists

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Britain’s top artists have gifted 97 works of art to Queen Elizabeth II to mark her diamond jubilee. The portfolio of 97 works on paper by 93 members of the Royal Academy of Arts includes works by David Hockney, Anish Kapoor, Tracey Emin, Grayson Perry and Tom Phillips. The unique collection includes prints, drawings, photographs and works in oil, watercolour and mixed media.

The 86-year-old Queen is the parton of the Royal Academy, which was founded by George III in 1768. The Academy said on Friday that this was the third time it had presenting a gift to the Queen — It had gifted the first portfolio to mark her coronation in 1953 and the second one in celebration of her silver jubilee in 1977.
The portfolio was compiled as the Royal Academy issued an open invitation to its members, known as Academicians, to contribute a jubilee gift. It got works on paper in diverse sizes from 36 painters, 23 sculptors, 19 architects, six engravers, six printmakers and one draughtsman.
The collection includes a line drawing of the Queen by Tracey Emin, called HRH Royal Britannia; an image of the Queen’s initials created by David Hockney on his iPad; a drawing of the interior of Westminster Abbey by sculptor John Maine; a red sun created by Anish Kapoor and Grayson Perry’s designs of his motorcycle.
The portfolio was presented to the queen last month by the Royal Academy’s president Christopher Le Brun and its secretary and chief executive, Dr Charles Saumarez Smith.
The works in the latest presentation have been added to the Royal Collection, and will go on display at the Queen’s Gallery in Buckingham Palace next year.
“The Royal Academy of Arts is delighted and honoured to present a unique portfolio of works by current Royal Academicians to Her Majesty The Queen, commemorating the diamond jubilee. After an outstanding year for the Royal Academy, the diamond jubilee gift represents a key highlight of 2012, and we are looking forward to the public display of the works in 2013,” Le Brun, whose work is included in the portfolio, said.