The Story Behind Sachin Tendulkar’s Lord’s Portrait: An Artist’s Perspective
Celebrated artist Stuart Pearson Wright, the man behind the portrait of Sachin Tendulkar that now graces Lord’s Cricket Ground, admits he wasn’t a cricket aficionado when he first met the Indian batting legend. In fact, Wright’s lack of interest in the sport stretches back to his school days, where he felt ignored by his PE teacher due to his lack of footballing prowess.
Commissioned to Capture an Icon
Despite his unfamiliarity with Tendulkar’s cricketing achievements, Wright was commissioned by the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) to paint the portrait. The artwork, currently displayed at the Lord’s museum, will eventually find its permanent home within the iconic pavilion. Wright insists his lack of cricket knowledge wasn’t a hindrance, as his goal wasn’t to create a biographical piece. Instead, he aimed to capture the essence of Tendulkar as an individual, responding to his humanity rather than his sporting persona.
“A lot of portrait painters say they are trying to capture the soul of the subject, and I feel that’s a bit of a cliché,” Wright explained. His focus was on portraying the individual he encountered, rather than the celebrated cricketer.
A Rare Sporting Outing
Known for painting portraits of diverse figures – from author J.K. Rowling and King Charles to Prince Philip and even the late Queen Elizabeth’s corgis – Wright’s commission for the Tendulkar portrait marked a rare venture into the world of sports. He recalls an instance where he approached a film star on the street, requesting them to pose for him, highlighting his unconventional approach to finding subjects.
During the Lord’s Test match between India and England, the Tendulkar portrait attracted long queues of admirers. The painting depicts Tendulkar in his early thirties, years before his eventual retirement. Wright noted, “People call him a god… it’s extraordinary… but for me, he was just another guy I was drawing. When I met him in 2007 to take his picture for the portrait, I got on very well with him. I found him very quiet and humble. I’ve never seen him play, but someone told me that off the pitch he is quiet, but when you see him bat, he becomes like a tiger.”
Capturing the Inner Tiger
Wright’s portrait seeks to capture the intensity and focus that Tendulkar displayed while facing formidable bowlers such as Glenn McGrath and Wasim Akram. He aimed to portray the “feline alertness” and the “tiger inside a soft-spoken man” that defined Tendulkar’s batting persona.
He also mentions that the MCC had specific requests regarding the style of the painting. “My portraits aren’t always as photographic as this one, but Lord’s specified in the contract that they wanted this particular painting to be a very photographic style of likeness. If you look at my other paintings, you’ll see I often elongate or distort facial features of it,” he says.
Tendulkar’s Transformation
Reuniting with Tendulkar at the unveiling after their initial meeting in 2007, Wright observed a noticeable transformation. “He’s got a good skincare routine. He’s eating the right things. He is disciplined in his life as he is in his cricket. So, I think it really shows in his face,” he remarked. The artist spent five to six weeks creating the oil painting on an aluminium surface, and the final result received Tendulkar’s approval.
The artistic process began with a charcoal sketch, focusing initially on the head and then the shirt. Wright humorously noted the attention given to the ear in the painting, and how he enjoyed painting the chest hair.
Early Success and Artistic Drive
Now approaching 50 and residing in the countryside, Wright’s career breakthrough came in 2001 when he won the prestigious BP Portrait Award at the age of 25. This recognition, accompanied by a £25,000 prize, enabled him to purchase a house where he could live and work.
The award opened doors to numerous commissions, leading to a period of intense work. “I remember a period of working for six months without a single day off. I was quite obsessed,” he recalled. Growing up in a working-class family instilled in him the drive to succeed. “I knew that I had to work very, very hard to earn a living, have a family, and have a nice house. That drove me to look for opportunities, like stopping John Hurt in the street,” he said.
An Encounter with John Hurt
Wright’s chance encounter with British actor John Hurt, known for his roles in films like ‘Midnight Express’ and the ‘Harry Potter’ series, exemplifies his proactive approach. He approached Hurt on the street and persuaded him to pose for a portrait, which he subsequently sold to the National Portrait Gallery.
Recalling a question he was asked at Lord’s – “What was your inspiration for the picture?” – Wright responded with a touch of humour: “I said, well, I need to feed my family, it is a job. I think there’s this myth that artists wake up in the middle of the night, and they have these inspirations, and they run down and start painting.”
Memories of Mumbai: Bedi, Kapil Dev, and Vengsarkar
Beyond the Tendulkar portrait, Wright also shared anecdotes from his time in Mumbai in 2007, where he painted portraits of other Indian cricket legends: Bishan Singh Bedi, Kapil Dev, and Dilip Vengsarkar.
- Bishan Singh Bedi: “Mr. Bedi was very funny, full of life. He just had a great personality. I remember telling him ‘I am not interested in cricket’. You know what he said: ‘Why the bloody hell did they send you to paint me?'”
- Kapil Dev: Reminded Wright of his mother, an antiques dealer, always looking for a deal. “He was looking for a deal. He would say, I would paint something of him, he would put his signatures on it, we would sell it and share profit. I enjoyed our conversation. It never led anywhere, but it was fun.”
- Dilip Vengsarkar: “Was a difficult character.” Wright recounted an incident where a photographer, claiming to be Vengsarkar’s friend, disrupted an art school session. Despite assurances that he wasn’t a journalist, the photos appeared on the front page of a newspaper the following day, causing chaos. Wright jokingly suggested that his portrait of Vengsarkar, depicting him as being bowled out amidst stormy weather, was the “artist’s revenge.”