THE ARTIST KING CHARLES III

Many associate the name of Charles III only with the British throne. The son of Queen Elizabeth II, the husband of Princess Diana and the longest holder of the title "Prince of Wales" - these are some of the associations that his name gives rise to. But did you know that he also receives worldwide recognition for his significant contribution to the art world both as an active patron and ardent collector and as a talented artist.

King Charles's interest in fine art began in his childhood years. He is heavily influenced by his love of nature and traditional British architecture. He began to paint watercolors, inspired by the beautiful landscapes around him such as the Scottish Highlands and the gardens of the various royal estates - at Balmoral and at Sandringham. Back in 2018, the Telegraph reported that the then Prince of Wales earned over £2m from the sale of his paintings, but donated all proceeds from his hobby to the Prince of Wales Charitable Trust.

In fact, Charles is following in his father's footsteps, as the late Duke of Edinburgh is often behind the easel. When the works of the current King of Great Britain were presented for the first time in an exhibition at Windsor Castle, they stood alongside works of art by Prince Philip and Queen Victoria. It turns out that the king's taste in art differs diametrically from that of his mother - Queen Elizabeth II. She favored portraits of horses, and Prince Philip was the man behind the restoration of Windsor Castle after the 1992 fire.

King Charles III himself, on the other hand, was known to be very open about his tastes. He is known to favor traditional art, rejecting modernism, whether in painting, sculpture or architecture. “I do not live under the illusion that my paintings are a great art form or a burgeoning talent! I can liken them, more than anything else, to a 'photo album' and for that reason they mean a lot to me," shares Charles III candidly.

As head of state of the United Kingdom, he owns the largest private art collection in the world, comprising over 7,000 paintings and 450,000 photographs, not to mention decorative arts. King Charles inherited many of them after the death of his parents, and his residence, Clarence House, houses his personal collection. His grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, also known as the Queen Mother, was largely responsible for amassing a large amount of these works, as she purchased many of them after the world wars when prices were low. Charles III himself also added to the collection a considerable number of works of art which reflected his personal taste.

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