Harold Riley, an acclaimed English artist known for his vivid portrayal of Salford's working-class life, shares his unique experience capturing Nelson Mandela on canvas. He describes the six sittings with Mandela as transformative, filled with insightful conversations that shaped the portrait. Riley reveals how this masterpiece, unveiled in 2005, not only showcases Mandela’s legacy but also raised over $1 million for South African children's charities. His artistic journey intertwines community and leadership, making for an inspiring discussion.
10:05
forum Ask episode
web_stories AI Snips
view_agenda Chapters
auto_awesome Transcript
info_circle Episode notes
question_answer ANECDOTE
Mandela's Humility
Harold Riley, the only artist allowed to paint Nelson Mandela, emphasized Mandela's humility.
He compared Mandela to other prominent figures he'd painted, highlighting this unique trait.
insights INSIGHT
Capturing Mandela's Essence
Riley aimed to portray Mandela authentically, focusing on his character rather than political aspects.
He believed Mandela's love, kindness, and believability were essential to capture.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Shared Admiration
During their sittings, Mandela and Riley discussed various topics, including boxer Joe Louis.
Mandela admired Louis, and their shared appreciation for the boxer's dignity fostered their bond.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Harold Riley was the only artist in the world granted a sitting to capture Nelson Mandela on canvas. The unique portrait was unveiled in 2005 and raised over $1m for South African children's charities at an auction held at the Rockefeller Centre in New York.
Mandela sat for the English artist six times in Cape Town and Johannesburg over 18 months which Harold Riley described as "one of the greatest experiences" of his life.
This programme was produced and presented by Reena Stanton-Sharma using archive.
Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.
Recent episodes explore everything from football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic’ and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy’s Fight The Power, subway art and the political crisis in Georgia. We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: visionary architect Antoni Gaudi and the design of the Sagrada Familia; Michael Jordan and his bespoke Nike trainers; Princess Diana at the Taj Mahal; and Görel Hanser, manager of legendary Swedish pop band Abba on the influence they’ve had on the music industry. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the time an Iraqi journalist hurled his shoes at the President of the United States in protest of America’s occupation of Iraq; the creation of the Hollywood commercial that changed advertising forever; and the ascent of the first Aboriginal MP.
(Photo: Harold Riley's portrait of Nelson Mandela. Credit: Stephen Lovekin/WireImage for AOL Time Warner - Corporate Communications)
Witness History 