Painted portraits: The powerful people.

Joseph Stalin - Victor Oreshnikov

Stalin is here shown in a relaxed pose, almost at ease but sensitive in manner and body language. He is not portrayed here in an imaginably powerful stature or superior, but a more settled and conversational one. The colours used are not immediately representative of Stalin's Russia, except for his military attire, where it is explained his pride in image from the shine of his medal and gold buttons that lead down his top. He looks to us not questioning, but almost happily, confirming his state of being "at ease" and maybe comfortable in his powerful position. This painting then, is suggesting that there is another side to Stalin's image and the people's knowledge of him in that historical period, and it's through this that maybe the intention is to portray him as someone who isn't "that bad".

King Henry V111 - Daniel Maclise

King Henry V111's opulance and glimmer shines through here, as vibrancy in the setting and the clothing of that time beams out. He stands surrounded with arms branching out to an almost all female group, displaying his decadent appetite for beautiful ladies and future wives. A circular aura - like halo spins out from behind him, emulating the image of Christ, as if his power and control derives from religious legend, and in this status he would be remembered, not in a religious sense at all, but as true legend.

John F Kennedy - Aaron Shikler

Kennedy stares down (presumably to his feet) or down to those below him, almost angelic. It could be questioned whether Kennedy himself posed for this portrait, or it's a homage to the man after his death. His arms are firmly crossed, suggesting that he is protective or protecting himself, surrounded by a biscuit toned stone in which he becomes almost transparent and camouflaged, regardless that his suit is of an earthy dark grey. Kennedy here seems to be quite ghostly and posthumous, concreting his place in time as a historical icon.

Margaret Thatcher - Richard Stone

It's clear we're meant to forget Thatcher's past here and her mistakes. It's almost apologetic to me. Apart from one big thing: a large quantity of the painting's background, and indeed the clothes she's painted wearing are black. This for me hints that the artist is desperate to emulate her fragility in this black space, therefore heightening her innocence and possibly her appeal. Her hands grip together lightly, suggesting she "comes in peace" and that she feels of no harm, as she stares directly towards the artist (Richard Stone).

Nelson Mandela - Richard Stone

Mandela is painted here quite modestly as someone we know to be wise and symbolic of peace, and this is quite evident in the portrait, as we know Mandela's history when we see him and on a personal level this is fairly difficult to draw away from if I'am to attempt to analyse a painting of him.