A portrait of the Queen by a Huddersfield artist has gone on public show for the first time.
Meltham-born Darren Baker was commissioned to paint the monarch to mark the 90th anniversary of the Royal British Legion.
Since it was completed, the painting has hung in the Legions’ London headquarters.
But now it has gone on show at the Darren Baker Gallery in Charlotte Street, London, and will hang there until October 17.
Hyper-realist artist Baker was commissioned in 2011 to mark the Legion’s 90th year and the 85th birthday of its patron, the Queen.
The oil painting – which unusually displays the Queen’s legs – was painted by Baker after several sittings.
Mr Baker, 35, a graduate of Bradford Art College, is known mainly for his portraits of sports stars and his previous subjects include Tony Blair, Prince Charles, Jonny Wilkinson and Lewis Hamilton.
The artist attended several sittings at Buckingham Palace before the painting was complete. It shows the Queen looking relaxed in a royal blue dress, pearl necklace and black court shoes. She also wears a brooch with a spray of five poppies.
Mr Baker said: ‘My aim was to capture the grace of our wonderful monarch while incorporating the essence of the Legion”.’
The portrait was unveiled by Princess Anne at Westminster Abbey in 2011.
Mr Baker’s works have been hung everywhere from 10 Downing Street and the House of Lords, to St James’s Palace.
