King Charles III Becomes First Monarch To Have A Painting Sold At Auction
A king of many trades, King Charles III dons numerous hats crowns, slipping into roles from a monarch, environmentalist, father, to now a successful artist.
The newly-crowned king is currently in the news for becoming the first head of state to sell their art. The piece is an original watercolor picture of Balmoral Castle, which was eventually turned into 100 special prints.
One of those prints was sold by the auction house Bonhams as a part of ‘The Scottish Home’ collection. When the print was first added to the exhibition, its estimated retail value was US$675. However, it brought in an astonishing US$6,500 and sold at up to 10 times its normal price.
A print of a painting by King Charles III is up for auction! It shows Balmoral Castle in Scotland. The King, then Prince of Wales, painted it in 2001. pic.twitter.com/KV37iLLxtF
— Royal Watcher (@WindsorDynasty) October 19, 2022
According to CNN, Hamish Wilson, senior valuer at Bonhams, said there was a lot of interest in the piece, and he had never seen so many pre-sale bidders. The bid opened at just US$3,400, and the gavel struck its final price within minutes.
Wilson presumes the interest was due to the fact that the painting was done of Balmoral, which Queen Elizabeth II frequented during her summers and where she finally passed away just under two months ago.
King Charles produced the watercolor in 2001 and signed and dated the piece in pencil at the bottom. It was framed and cased with a certificate of authentication to go along with it as well.
The head of state has noted on many occasions that painting is a hobby of his and his work comprises mainly landscapes, especially of estates the royal family owns. Earlier this year his art was featured in a gallery for the first time.
The piece marks a notable moment in history as it captures the place where the previous monarch passed and which the current king has artistically created and sold a still of one of the places she loved most.
[via Artnet News and CNN, images via various sources]
