BP Portrait Winner

The winner of the BP Portrait Award 2009, worth £25,000 plus a £4,000 commission, is Peter Monkman for an oil painting of his 12-year-old daughter Anna: Changeling 2. Unusually, he portrayed the sitter against a starry night sky, which the judges thought gave it a certain "magic". Not my favourite, I'm afraid. You can view this portrait at the National Portrait Gallery from today, one of the exhibits in the BP Portrait Award exhibition which continues until 20 September, admission free.