Oprah Winfrey (painting)

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Oprah Winfrey
Portrait of Oprah Winfrey wearing a purple dress
Oprah Winfrey in 2023
ArtistShawn Michael Warren
Year2023 (2023)
Mediumoil on linen
SubjectOprah Winfrey
Dimensions180 cm × 140 cm (70 in × 56 in)
LocationNational Portrait Gallery, Washington, D.C.

An oil painting of Oprah Winfrey by Shawn Michael Warren was unveiled at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. in 2023.[1][2][3]

The painting portrays Winfrey smiling and wearing a voluminous purple taffeta dress by Christian Siriano; the color references her first film role in Steven Spielberg's 1985 version of The Color Purple.[1] Winfrey is depicted walking across a grass lawn amid the oak trees of the verdant prayer garden at her estate in Montecito, California,[3] holding an olive branch in her left hand.[1]

The artist received the commission after painting a mural of Winfrey in the West Loop neighborhood of Chicago in 2020, near where Winfrey's Harpo Studios had been located until 2015.[4] The full-length portrait measures approximately 70 in × 56 in (180 cm × 140 cm) and has been added to the permanent collection of the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery.[5]

The meaning behind the Purple

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The colours used in the painting were not accidental. The painting courtyard was awash in deep purple tablecloths, scarves, ties, coats and gowns. Purple is deeply personal for Oprah, a nod to The Color Purple, the film, that changed the trajectory of her life. It's a colour she's carried with her ever since, including her 2023 "Favourite Things" list.[1][3]

For the occasion, she wore a custom purple taffeta gown by Christian Siriano, which Oprah had said "That color has been seminal in my life". Her role as Sofia in the 1985 film was shot in just two weeks, but it opened doors and affirmed a voice that the world would come to know ultimately.[3]

Capturing essence in Oil and Light

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The portrait itself is grand, nearly seven feet tall and deeply personal. It shows Oprah standing in her Montecito prayer garden, gently holding an olive branch. For artist Shawn Micheal Warren, the garden wasn't just a backdrop, it was the most vulnerable space. Warren conducted the painting session without providing direction on how Oprah should pose. The painting was completed over a span of 10 months amidst other commitments and was intended to reflect a sense of quiet strength and authenticity to Oprah herself.[3]

A Historic Honor

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Since 1994, the National Portrait Gallery has only commissioned about 35 portraits of living figures. Oprah's inclusion underscores her profound role in shaping not just entertainment, but the national conscience. Her portrait will remain on view until October 2024. Rhea L. Combs, director of curatorial affairs, hoped that visitors would walk away with a feeling of joy, promise, grace and connection.[3]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "What the purple dress in Oprah Winfrey's new portrait really means". www.bbc.com. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
  2. ^ Kennicott, Philip (December 13, 2023). "Perspective | The age of Oprah is over, but her vision is now framed in Washington". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Oprah Winfrey dons purple gown for Smithsonian painting: Inside the portrait unveiling". USA TODAY. Archived from the original on January 3, 2024. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
  4. ^ France, Lisa Respers (December 13, 2023). "Oprah Winfrey honored with portrait at Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery". CNN. Archived from the original on December 15, 2023. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  5. ^ Commissioned Portrait of Oprah Winfrey Archived December 15, 2023, at the Wayback Machine, National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian
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