Alexander Talbot-Rice is fast emerging as one of the leading portrait painters of his generation, known for capturing the character and humanity of his subjects. Portraits include HM the Queen, HRH the Duke of Edinburgh, HRH the Prince of Wales, HH the Pope and Lady Thatcher. At the age of 13, he received an art scholarship to Stowe School. After graduating from Durham University with a BA (Hons) in politics, philosophy and history, much to his family’s dismay, he traveled to Italy to follow his passion and study fine art at The Florence Academy of Art in 1995.

In 2000, he entered the Russian Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg, widely considered to be one of the best academies in the world. Very few artists have had the opportunity to study in both Italy and Russia, and this combination enabled Alexander to find his own style. In 2009, Alexander was the first Westerner to be made an honorary professor at the I. E. Repin St. Petersburg State Academic Institute of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture. From 2009 to 2012, Alexander lived and painted in Afghanistan. He was later embedded with his family regiment, the Welsh Guards, in Helmand. Alexander then returned to St. Petersburg, where he had the privilege of meeting the Mariinsky Ballet director Yuri Fateyev through his personal friend and principal dancer Xander Parish, OBE. Alexander has spent the last seven years being inspired by the Russian ballet and painting world leaders.