Portrait of an Artist

Unveiling the stories behind some of the most evocative portrait paintings, this film brings together the artists and their sitters, and goes behind-the-scenes of the judging of one of the world's most prestigious portrait awards. Celebrating the last 30 years of the BP Portrait Award at the National Portrait Gallery in London, we look back at the first female American winner Aleah Chapin and her sitter Gail, previous Travel Award winner Laura Guoke who travelled to Ritsona refugee camp in Greece, and see the impact the award has had on them as artists and as people. We then follow the three artists shortlisted for this year's prize, Massimiliano Pironti in Italy, Charlie Schaffer in the UK, and Carl-Martin Sandvold in Norway, all of whom are waiting in anticipation to hear who will be announced the winner of the 2019 award.