Charity auction, A study of Nelson Mandela

Richard Stone, the leading British portrait artist who has painted portraits of the Royal Family, including the Queen,has donated his study of Nelson mandela to this auction with proceeds of the sale going to CiDA Foundation. Based in the UK, this foundation supports CiDA City Campus in Lyndhurst, Johannesburg.

CiDA City Campus helps to address the legacy of apartheid and break the cycle of intergeneration poverty in South Africa by offering low cost tertiary education to students, mainly from townships and rural areas all over South Africa, who would otherwise be unable to afford to go to university.

The study was one of the works produced leading up to Madiba’s final portrait, which was painted for his 90th birthday in 2008. The painting was auctioned by actor Will Smith in London and sold for approximately £400 000.

Richard Stone donated all proceeds to the 46664 Foundation. in addition to the study, the artist has also donated a signed print of mandela, produced from the original portrait for auction with the proceeds going to the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund.

‘The work had been a labour of love as it had been a long held ambition of mine to paint a portrait of Nelson Mandela. When I was invited to his ofice in Johannesburg for sittings in the early spring 2008, I felt it to be a rare and extraordinary privilege, a truly humbling circumstance to be in the great man’s presence.

The challenge was not only to capture a good likeness, but also fulil a public expectation to record something of his extraordinary spirit - to get a sense of the essence of the man. it certainly was not easy, time on both our parts was tight.

We talked of many of the people we had in common and especially our mutual friendship with Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Our reminiscences and shared memories brought about an easy-going relationship to the sittings.

He had a marvellous face with all life’s experience etched upon it; the intelligence in his eyes, the care and compassion, the indomitable spirit and gentleness were all part of the man.’

- Richard Stone

The auction, courtesy of Stephan Welz & Co. took place in Cape Town, South Africa on Tuesday, February 25th.