Portrait of H.R.H, Diana, Princess of Wales 1994

Nelson Shanks painted this portrait of Diana, Princess of Wales, using oil paint. He's got a real handle on value here, those subtle shifts between light and dark that can really make a form pop. It's a process of layering, of building up tones, like a slow dance with the canvas. Check out the ruffles around her neck. The paint is thin, almost transparent, giving them this ethereal, floaty quality. Then look at the skirt, that deep teal, almost jewel-like. It's thicker there, more opaque, grounded. The way he handles those whites and blues makes me think of Sargent, who also knew how to make a portrait sing. Ultimately, though, a painting is more than just paint on canvas. It's a conversation, a question, a little bit of magic. And that's what I see here, in this rendering of a public figure.