Prince Philip and the Art of Painting

Among the many tributes paid to the late Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, there was mention of the fact that he had visited the Commonwealth of Australia on some twenty-one occasions, including as a Royal Navy officer before his marriage in 1947 to Princess Elizabeth. One aspect of Prince Philip’s life which has been less noticed, given his naval career and prodigious public service to the United Kingdom and to the Commonwealth of Nations as Consort of the Queen, was his interest in the art of painting and his patronage of significant artists, including several Australian artists.

The Prince’s contributions to the building up of the Royal Collections and the Royal Heritage during the Queen’s reign have been very important, especially in the significant effect that his taste had in bringing major artistic talents to greater public notice. His friendship with and encouragement of the splendidly accomplished, yet critically neglected, British painter of landscapes Edward Seago…