ODE TO HEATH

heath-ledger-tribute-painting1.jpg

On February 20, Heath Ledger’s good friend Vincent Fantauzzo submitted a portrait he painted of the actor for the Archibald Prize which is the most prominent of all arts prizes in Australia.

The paper documenting the session in which Heath sat for the painter is dated December 29, 2007, less than a month before his untimely death. The painting itself is almost prophetic depicting three Heath characters, the central that looks absolutely exhausted and run down, and two side characters that are almost chaotic whispering into his ears.

It was made public after his death the actor had suffered from severe insomnia due to his racing mind before his death.

heath-ledger-tribute-painting2.jpg


[Fame]

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26 Comments

  1. Anonymous
    February-21-2008 @ 9:53 am

    hear we go again worshipping someone who had it all and then decided to throw it all away so selfishly hurting his little girl

  2. Anonymous
    February-21-2008 @ 9:54 am

    what a reckless coward

  3. Ouch!
    February-21-2008 @ 9:56 am

    I totally agree about the fact that he was a stupid junkie.
    That said, that painting is beautiful. The Heath on the right looks so real!

  4. Carrie
    February-21-2008 @ 10:05 am

    It doesn’t even look like heath to me

  5. whatever
    February-21-2008 @ 10:07 am

    regardless of the model, the painting is amazing. that guy has talent!

  6. Ouch!
    February-21-2008 @ 10:08 am

    hollywood is just a psych ward

  7. Ouch!
    February-21-2008 @ 10:09 am

    this junkie doesn’t deserve any adulation he made all the wrong choices and don’t tell me he had a DISEASE.

  8. Killlioplz
    February-21-2008 @ 10:24 am

    Firstly, Heath was not a junkie.
    I don’t know where you are getting your news from, but obviously you are misinformed. His death was an accident and not due to any illegal drug overdose. He loved his little girl, and he is probably up there repeating “shit, shit, shit” after accidentally dying from an accute accidental intake of several prescription medicines. He loved life, and was a very talented actor. He did not throw it all away, and he did not selfishly hurt anyone. He did suffer from stress and insomnia, on top of depression, which are all considered diseases by the American Board of Health and Diseases. After a major break up, people usually go down to depression and stress from work can cause other complications. Again, he was a regular guy, not a junkie.
    Secondly, these paintings are awful and creepy, and the artist is probably trying to make some money out of Heath’s death…

  9. OMG Really???
    February-21-2008 @ 10:25 am

    I think people need to show some respect.

  10. Killlioplz
    February-21-2008 @ 10:41 am

    OMG Really??? : Thank you, you are 100% correct.

  11. SpongeMunkie
    February-21-2008 @ 11:09 am

    I agree that the painting itself is good, but it looks more like a random construction worker coming down from a high than Heath. Just sweaty and manic and tired.

  12. Sarah
    February-21-2008 @ 11:36 am

    I think the painting is beautiful. It’s so hard to paint a resembling image of someone, and I think this guy did a hell of a job here!

  13. LISA MARIE
    February-21-2008 @ 12:25 pm

    that picture is truly awesome and breath taking, the artist nailed exactly how Heath must have felt with his insomnia and his mind wandering a million miles an hour. I think that artist deserves 100 awards for that painting. I dont think the artist is trying to make money off of Heaths death, he painted a moment in time and painted it perfectly. The artist met with Heath about the painting it wasnt like he just decided to do the painting because Heath passed away.

  14. l
    February-21-2008 @ 12:51 pm

    that painting is amazing.It seems more like a photo in quality rather then a painting.The artist has talent.

  15. February-21-2008 @ 1:25 pm

    Killioplz

    I think you are missing the point about the painting. This was done and planned for way before the death of Ledger. The artist submitted this for a prestigious portrait competition. The artist was not to know that Ledger would die. It was his interpretation of Ledger at the time. If its creepy to you then that probably suggests that was what he had beome in the end. Exhaused and sick. Do not blame the artist as you have to submit entries a long time before the competiton. Ledger sat for the portrait, he approved it and so why should the artist not go ahead. It would be the right thing to do in my opinion.

  16. buzz
    February-21-2008 @ 3:39 pm

    just makes me feel sad
    he was a great actor to watch
    wish he was still here

  17. anon
    February-21-2008 @ 4:17 pm

    It’s stunning, just fantastic work! I wonder how the collaberation worked because it really tells quite a story without revealing anything. Brilliant.

  18. Agustina
    February-21-2008 @ 6:13 pm

    This guy is really talented. That painting is excellent.

  19. Stephi
    February-21-2008 @ 6:53 pm

    All these people claiming he was a selfish junkie need to shut up and show a little respect. Do you personally know him? Were you there while he was taking drugs? NO! And to even suggest that he would deliberately hurt his little girl is just disgusting.
    I think this painting is absolutely brilliant. I would buy it myself! It’s beautiful that someone had the opportunity to do this before Heath died. It should be given to his family.

  20. Anonymous
    February-21-2008 @ 7:30 pm

    i have no respect for selfish people with so many blessings who decide to self destruct and hurt loved ones in the process

  21. Anonymous
    February-21-2008 @ 7:31 pm

    u must be one of those that believes drug use is diseassssssse and not a lifestyle choice

  22. Anonymous
    February-21-2008 @ 7:35 pm

    seems like nobody wants to take personal responsibility and constantly blame everything but themselves what kind of society are we becoming

  23. ANon
    February-22-2008 @ 1:58 pm

    Stephi..dont be a hypocrite! You had acted as if you kow some of these celebrities personally yourself MANY MANY times so get off the high moral ground.

  24. Chantelle
    February-23-2008 @ 6:33 am

    “Secondly, these paintings are awful and creepy, and the artist is probably trying to make some money out of Heath’s death…”

    Actually, the guy who painted this had planned to enter the competition before Heath’s death, and said he would only do so now with the Ledger family’s blessings.

    I think the guy’s got some real talent, it just looks so much like Heath, like he’s just going to step off the painting or something.

  25. Anonymous
    February-29-2008 @ 2:17 pm

    i think it’s one of the most beautiful and emotional pictures I’ve ever seen, and I’m very sad that i can’t buy this painting….

    those who say, was selfish 1. everyone has thought about suicide once, and 2. he did NOT comitted suicide. he just dosed the medicaments wrong!!

    it’s just very sad for everyone who knew him, and for his family. for me, I can just say: I’m glad, that I saw, and sort of “knew” someone as beautiful, gand and strong as he was.

    and at fantauzzo: this painting is absolutely bittersweet. i love it

  26. July-30-2008 @ 7:27 pm

    That’s great, also my song and poem ‘ode to heath ledger’
    download and listen for free!

    http://WWW.MYSPACE.COM/XAVIANTHAZETHELASTDAYS

One Trackback

  1. [...] Zu sehen auch ein Dokument der Session, für die Heath Ledger Modell saß, datiert auf den 29. Dezember 2007: FOTO [...]

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