Commons portrait display 'a celebration of women'

A Surrey portrait artist says having her portraits of women including Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Dame Maggie Aderin shown in the House of Commons is "a celebration of them".

Caroline De Peyrecave said seeing her work in the Upper Waiting Hall in the Houses of Parliament "felt like another extraordinary moment in their journey" as they remain on display this week.

De Peyrecave's works, created in her studio in Westcott near Dorking, are part of a series of oil portraits celebrating British women in culture, sports, science and public life.

She told BBC Radio Surrey: "I'm utterly thrilled. This puts them into that space where decisions are made, so it is hugely significant."

De Peyrecave added: "We can know their names, and see the public versions of them, but portraiture asks us to stop and look for longer.

"There are many more women who I would love to paint and involve."

The collection, called "Empowering Her", was originally put on display at a London art gallery, where the exhibition raised £10,000 for UN Women UK.

Other figures included alongside Zaghari-Ratcliffe - who was detained in Iran for six years - and The Sky at Night presenter Dame Aderin, from Guildford, include Rugby World Cup winning captain Zoe Stratford, journalist Emma Barnett and comedian Sally Phillips.

It also features Daryl Fielding, the woman behind skincare brand Dove's "real beauty" campaign, General Dame Sharon Nesmith, vice chief of the Defence Staff, and Lady Phyll Opoku-Gyimah, who co-founded UK Black Pride.

The portraits were put on display at the House of Commons on Tuesday, and will remain there until Wednesday evening.

De Peyrecave said having the portraits there was "the most significant place they could have been", adding "they look very natural there".

Following the display in the House of Commons, De Peyrecave hopes to tour the collection to other sites and put them on display in other places.

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