It was an honor to illuminate the first official portrait of HM King Charles III.
Jonathan Yeo’s portrait of King Charles was showcased at the Philip Mould Gallery, where it was illuminated with our Gallery130 Spotlights. The portrait, commissioned by The Drapers’ Company, depicts King Charles as larger than life and wearing the uniform of the Welsh Guards, to which he was appointed Colonel in 1975.
The artist had four sittings with the King between June 2021 and November 2023, at Highgrove and later at Clarence House, with additional work completed in Yeo’s London studio.
We used six GalleryOneThirty (G130) track-mounted high CRI LED spotlights, providing a CRI of 98+ and a narrow 9-degree beam. The high CRI was crucial for accurately representing the nuanced colours and vibrant red hues.
The portrait’s tall stature and the room’s geometry required careful positioning of lights to avoid glare, with gallery track lights strategically placed to cross-light the artwork. The portrait was lit between 3000K and 3500K due to the room’s daylight. This neutral light prevented over-saturation of the reds, ensuring the true colours were visible both in person and in photographs.
