SAKWUT WISESMANEE
Portraits of King Bhumibol have been ubiquitous for so long that you could be forgiven for growing up without paying them much attention. But when Sakwut Wisesmanee was a boy, a small portrait by an unknown artist kept him transfixed. It hung on a wall of the family home, and for years he would stop and examine the artistry involved. It sowed the seeds of the 53-year-old artist’s desire to become a painter. “It was painted by an unknown artist who did not leave a signature,” Sakwut said. “It was perhaps painted by a movie poster artist. The King was in an emotionless pose but the painting was stunning and powerful.”
Many Thai households have different pictures of the King on display in the same way they put Lord Buddha symbols in shrines.
“Each chooses what they consider the best image of the King. I want to paint images that people will select,” Sakwut said.
A graduate of the painting, sculpture and graphic arts faculty at Silpakorn University, Sakwut is one of the best-known portrait painters in Thailand. He came to prominence with several impressionist artworks but dared not paint the King’s image until about 20 years ago.
“I had done some sketches and drawings of him before but never did a serious painting because I was too scared. I feared I would not be able to do what I had expected of myself,” he said.
That all changed when a large Thai corporation commissioned him to paint the King. He took the chance.
“I painted the King based on my interpretation. I was satisfied with my work. But the company that commissioned me to paint was not quite happy. They thought the painting was too strong,” Sakwut said.
Since then, Sakwut has felt more relaxed about experimenting by painting the King in different poses.
“I was not afraid of painting him any more. He is my favourite subject as an artist,” he said.
The process of painting the King was not simple. He did not sit as a model for the painter to study, leaving Sakwut to seek source material.
“I looked for old pictures of the King that would have all the necessary details for a painter to start with. I cannot use pictures on websites because the details are not clear enough to draw from. After getting the right picture, I have to study the structure of people with similar cheekbones to his to reconstruct the light and shadows in my drawing,” he said.
Although most remember His Majesty for his work in rural areas, Sakwut preferred to paint him in formal poses and regalia.
“I never painted him working in the fields. I think he has been tirelessly working for us long enough,” he said.
Sakwut’s paintings of His Majesty have been published in several magazines and reproduced for mass audiences. His house is like a small gallery showing different paintings of King Bhumibol across the years.
An unfinished oil painting of the King in red uniform was on the easel in a corner of the house. A large pastel painting of the King in a white suit was prominently displayed on the wall.
Old magazines and photos that he used to study were scattered in the studio corner of his house. A pencil drawing of a man in spectacles on another easel is his latest project.
“It will be an image of the King waving to his people,” he said.
His latest artwork is a black and white charcoal drawing of the King in his twenties.
“I started drawing the King from my birthday in September this year and finished it four days later. It is my birthday gift to myself,” Sakwut said.
In early 2011, during a time of political conflict, he reproduced his King’s portrait for free distribution.
“I was stressed from the ongoing conflict and wanted to contribute as an artist, so I gave away the King’s portrait to remind people of what holds us together,” he said.
King Bhumibol was also an artist in his own right with a good collection of work. His early paintings of his parents showed his studies of realism. In the early 1960s, His Majesty experimented with the expressionist style with strong brushstrokes and bold colours. Among his favourite subjects were musical instruments and the Queen.
“I can feel the intensity of his work. The paintings reflect complex thoughts. I came to realise via his paintings that art is not just about realism but it can convey the artist’s thinking, emotions and feelings. His Majesty’s works possess all these elements,” Sakwut said.
“His paintings show the artist’s courage to use strong colours and the way he applies the brushstrokes. It shows that the artist is not a person who gives up.”