Smile please, you're on canvas
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Smile please, you're on canvas
From the Mail on Sunday (someone cleverer than me may provide a link). General Sir David Richards' appointment as the first UK soldier since WW2 to command a multi national force (in Afghanistan) has been commemorated in an £80k oil painting of he and his staff at work in the Herat command centre.
The kicker is that the cost is apparently being recovered from a £20-30 mess subsciption from the ARRC HQ officers mess.
Not surprised at this, considering the Army track record of Mess Silver charges, but thought it worthy of being run up the flagpole.
Could an RAF commander get away with this and does the historical record/ego trip (delete as..) represent value for money?
The kicker is that the cost is apparently being recovered from a £20-30 mess subsciption from the ARRC HQ officers mess.
Not surprised at this, considering the Army track record of Mess Silver charges, but thought it worthy of being run up the flagpole.
Could an RAF commander get away with this and does the historical record/ego trip (delete as..) represent value for money?
He's no oil painting ........... oops! Actually now he's going to be.
And no, of course it's not value for money. £80,000? In the present financial climate? You have got to be s****ing me!
And that's 4,000 £20 mess subscriptions.
And no, of course it's not value for money. £80,000? In the present financial climate? You have got to be s****ing me!
And that's 4,000 £20 mess subscriptions.
Champagne anyone...?
A very multinational-HQ type picture there - everyone looking in different directions and nobody really paying attention to the poor bugger trying to point out the important stuff at the back. Money well spent I say.....
Red On, Green On
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You know you are getting old when you see one of the subjects in the portrait, and realise you were at school with him 
Don't Generals have batmen any more? What's going on with his headgear? I've seen smaller 12x12s
Don't Generals have batmen any more? What's going on with his headgear? I've seen smaller 12x12s
You know you are getting old when you see one of the subjects in the portrait, and realise you were at school with him
That's odd - can't see anyone anywhere near nine years old!
Jack
That's odd - can't see anyone anywhere near nine years old!
Jack
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Who is the bloke on the right?
Has he just come off the Dad's Army set?
Where did he learn to wear a uniform?
Hope that he is not a member of the British Forces, I would be so embarrassed...
Has he just come off the Dad's Army set?
Where did he learn to wear a uniform?
Hope that he is not a member of the British Forces, I would be so embarrassed...
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Forgot to add:
Is that a craps table in the middle ?
Bit un PC as well ( no wimmen or un white persons included )
But in "general", a generally rubbish picture and correct in its only use would be for the next caption comp.
Would love to see the 80K ask getting through the EGM at an RAF officers' mess
Is that a craps table in the middle ?
Bit un PC as well ( no wimmen or un white persons included )
But in "general", a generally rubbish picture and correct in its only use would be for the next caption comp.
Would love to see the 80K ask getting through the EGM at an RAF officers' mess
Red On, Green On
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£80,000 - the artist is having a Turkish, and so are the people who think the mess members will stump up.
What's wrong with an LA Phot, or the Army/RAF equivalent? They could easily put it through a canvas texture effect filter on Photoshop and then get it printed up nice and big. Which is probably what the artist did
What's wrong with an LA Phot, or the Army/RAF equivalent? They could easily put it through a canvas texture effect filter on Photoshop and then get it printed up nice and big. Which is probably what the artist did
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Who is the bloke on the right?
Bit un PC as well (no wimmen or un white persons included)
Interesting suggestion by C130, noting that the Afghan general in the original picture has been edited out of AA's version of the picture!
Jack
Interesting suggestion by C130, noting that the Afghan general in the original picture has been edited out of AA's version of the picture!
Jack
Red On, Green On
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Well spotted UJ - here's the key:
Note the name of the Italian General
1 Major General A Watt (Canadian)
2 Brigadier NAW Pope (UK)
3 UK officer
4 Brigadier RR Davis CBE (UK)
5 Lieutenant Colonel AD Johnston MBE (UK)
6 Major General GE Gay (Italian)
7 US officer
8 Major General JJC Bucknall CBE (UK)
9 UK officer
10 Brigadier NG Smith (UK)
11 Brigadier RE Nugee MBE (UK)
12 Mr T Jagger MOD (UK)
13 Brigadier General HC Ammon (German)
14 Lieutenant Colonel JU Biggart MBE (UK)
15 Major General SR Layfield (US)
16 Brigadier RJC Maxwell OBE (UK)
17 General DJ Richards CBE, DSO (UK)
18 General Wardak (Afghan Defence Minister)
Note the name of the Italian General
1 Major General A Watt (Canadian)
2 Brigadier NAW Pope (UK)
3 UK officer
4 Brigadier RR Davis CBE (UK)
5 Lieutenant Colonel AD Johnston MBE (UK)
6 Major General GE Gay (Italian)
7 US officer
8 Major General JJC Bucknall CBE (UK)
9 UK officer
10 Brigadier NG Smith (UK)
11 Brigadier RE Nugee MBE (UK)
12 Mr T Jagger MOD (UK)
13 Brigadier General HC Ammon (German)
14 Lieutenant Colonel JU Biggart MBE (UK)
15 Major General SR Layfield (US)
16 Brigadier RJC Maxwell OBE (UK)
17 General DJ Richards CBE, DSO (UK)
18 General Wardak (Afghan Defence Minister)
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Is the Italian chappie suffering from some sort of mouth crut, wearing some old mahogany false teeth in memory of his great grandad, or chewing liqorice flavoured chewing gum? Maybe it's a novelty goatee of some sort?
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Airborne Artist
You seem to have been very quick to post the painting. Is this in any part due to your rapid reaction drills learned in the Special Crayola Service.
But on a serious note, it is rather striking that the subjects are not looking toward the viewer. This is hardly a masterpiece, and may not even look too good at a village art show. Upon looking at the painting for a while, I have come to the conclusion that our general is looking a little cowed, having just lost out on a seat in a musical chairs contest. Also if the artist took around twelve weeks to paint this (guessing by it's size) then he roped in £6666.66 a week....Where do I sign on
(AA it's only banter, and a better late than never snipe in return for being called a "walt" far too often)
But on a serious note, it is rather striking that the subjects are not looking toward the viewer. This is hardly a masterpiece, and may not even look too good at a village art show. Upon looking at the painting for a while, I have come to the conclusion that our general is looking a little cowed, having just lost out on a seat in a musical chairs contest. Also if the artist took around twelve weeks to paint this (guessing by it's size) then he roped in £6666.66 a week....Where do I sign on
(AA it's only banter, and a better late than never snipe in return for being called a "walt" far too often)
Red On, Green On
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Barnstormer - my drills with the daubing sticks are indeed sh!t-hot, due to my service with the Artists' Rifles, which really was originally a Militia (predecessor of the TA) regiment that was made up of those in the art business, including both brothers Nash.
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£80K? FMP!
At least it was paid for by someone other than the taxpayer - if it had been of our Beloved Leader and his cronies (all concealing their knives) you know who would have picked up the tab...
At least it was paid for by someone other than the taxpayer - if it had been of our Beloved Leader and his cronies (all concealing their knives) you know who would have picked up the tab...