Jeremy Clarkson goes 'gothic' for birthday portrait painting
Jeremy Clarkson has unveiled a special portrait painted to mark his 64th birthday.
The Clarkson's Farm star posed for award-winning portrait artist Louise Pragnell, in a picture inspired by Grant Wood's famous 1930 painting American Gothic.
Clarkson, who celebrated his 64th birthday on Thursday 11 April 2024 posed with a pitchfork for the oil painting and is pictured looking tousled and a little bemused in his familiar blue jeans and a blue open-neck shirt. He shared Pragnell's Instagram post of the picture, captioned: "Happy Birthday @jeremyclarkson1 thank you for being a most amusing muse. #oiloncanvas #oilportrait #portraiture #lifesizeportrait #contemporaryportraiture #classicalportraiture @diddlysquat.farmshop"
And a video reel of the painting being created is captioned: "Clarkson gothic. A portrait (+ rake’s) progress. Happy birthday @jeremyclarkson1" Wood's famous picture shows an elderly American farmer holding a pitchfork, standing with a woman in front of a house.
Pragnell has been commissioned to paint a number of military portraits, including His Royal Highness the Duke of Kent and the Household Cavalry. In March 2023 she met the Prince and Princess of Wales when he picture of the Irish Guards was presented to them on St Patrick's Day, marking Princess Catherine becoming the new Colonel of the regiment.
Clarkson's girlfriend Lisa Hogan also marked the former Top Gear presenter's birthday with a post on social media, revealing she had got the car-lover a red Lamborghini as a present - to borrow for a week. She shared a video of the car outside their home, with Clarkson standing in the background as she told him: "You're vey difficult to but for, for your birthday.. so I got you a Lamborghini! For a week. Well actually it's a press car, but you can drive it for a week. What a great present." Clarkson, accompanied by two dogs walks off, looking disinterested.
The Grand Tour star has led a career of driving a variety of fast and fancy cars.
Meanwhile, Clarkson celebrated his birthday by getting excited about farming. He posted a picture of blue sky and tagged Clarkson's Farm co-star Kaleb Cooper, saying: "It’s stopped raining. Let’s fire up the f**king tractors. Make some food." Farm manager Cooper replied: "Yes then!!!! TEAM WORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK! Let’s do this." The latest series of Clarkson's Farm returns to Prime Video on Friday 3 May.
It was recently revealed that The Grand Tour will continue on Prime Video, despite Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond choosing to leave the car series.
Clarkson confessed last year he feared developing dementia in his old age, after revealing a number of health problems. He has been fitted with a pair of hearing aids after battling hearing loss for 12 years. And he has quit smoking, and is trying to look after his health after contracting pneumonia in 2017 and being diagnosed with high blood pressure in 2023.
The Grand Tour: Sand Job is out now on Prime Video. The show’s final special will air later this year. Clarkson's Farm series airs on the platform on Friday 3 May.
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