ANNE WINTOUR PORTRAIT RECENTLY UNVEILED

RECENTLY A UNIQUE PORTRAIT OF ANNE WINTOUR, EDITOR OF US VOGUE, WAS UNVEILED. HER ICY DEMEANOR HAS EARNED HER THE NICKNAME 'NUCLEAR WINTOUR', SO ONE CAN ONLY IMAGINE THE EXPRESSION WHEN THE PORTRAIT WAS DISPLAYED FOR EXHIBITION. THE PAINTING BY ACCLAIMED US ARTIST ALEX KATZ, IS NOT EXACTLY A PHOTOGRAPHIC LIKENESS. THE FAMOUS BOBBED HAIRSTYLE IS REPRESENTED, BUT BEARS A DISTINCTLY GINGER TINGE, AND THE EXPRESSION ID SOMEWHAT FLAT. ON THE PLUS SIDE, WINTOUR APPEARS MUCH YOUNGER THAN HER 60 YEARS, AND THIS IS A RARE SIGHTING OF HER WITHOUT HER SIGNATURE DARK GLASSES. SHE SAT FOR KATZ AT HIS NEW YORK STUDIO IN LATE 2009, THE FIRST TIME SHE HAS CONSENTED TO HAVE HER PORTRAIT PAINTED. 'I COULDN'T THINK OF A NICER WAY TO SPEND THE AFTERNOON. WE TALKED FOR TWO HOURS WHILE HE WORKED', RECALLED WINTOUR, WHO WAS THE INSPIRATION FOR MERYL STREEP'S TERRIFYING EDITOR IN 'THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA'. KATZ ASKED WINTOUR TO POSE WITHOUT HER SUNGLASSES AFTER WATCHING 'THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE', THE RECENT DOCUMENTARY FILM WHICH WENT BEHIND THE SCENES AT VOGUE, AND NOTICING THAT SHE HAD 'LOVELY EYES'. HE SAID: 'PAINTING ANNA WAS LIKE SHOOTING FISH IN A BARREL. THERE WAS NO WAY I COULD MISS IT.' THE PAINTING WILL GO ON PUBLIC DISPLAY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MAY AT LONDON'S NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY, IN AN EXHIBITION OF KATZ'S WORK. WINTOUR'S VERDICT ON THE PORTRAIT? WELL, SHE LIKED THE YELLOW. 'I WAS PLEASED TO SEE THAT HE USED A LOT OF COLOUR, WHICH I ADORE', SHE SAID.