The Benevolent King (2021) Original Oil Painting by Toby Michael

A self portrait of the artist and his twin brother in their living room during the pandemic. Both figures look out
beyond the picture space at what we can see by the reflection in the mirror behind is a television screen. There is
a sombre and deflated atmosphere created by the facial expressions, body language and the tonality of the
picture.
We can see in the mirror there is a figure, though he is not quite human in the sense the others are. He is the Fat
Controller, a character from the children’s television series Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. He stands
before the television, a physical instantiation of the benevolent king archetype. He stares towards the right of the
figures and confronts him with his gaze. With the benevolent king as his judge, the figures' downcast and
melancholic expression are understandable.

Materials used:

linen

Details:

• Oil painting on Canvas
• One of a kind artwork
• Size: 115 x 125 x 4cm
• Ready to hang
• Signed on the back
• Style: Unspecified
• Subject: People and portraits

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