Grace Kelly •SOLD to Prince Albert of Monaco• 🔴

Prince Albert of Monaco acquired Peter Engels’ largest Grace Kelly portrait – inspired by ‘To Catch a Thief’ and featuring the iconic Monaco port by night (1955). Exhibited at Monte Carlo Grand Casino before the royal sale.

ArtistPeter EngelsMediumAcrylic on canvasSize (W x H) 200 x 100 cmPriceart@peterengels.eu

Prince Albert of Monaco buys Grace Kelly painting from Peter Engels

Prince Albert of Monaco buys art of Peter Engels

The Grace Kelly Portrait acquired by Prince Albert of Monaco

This monumental acrylic palette knife portrait of Grace Kelly (Princess Grace of Monaco), the largest ever painted, twice the size of Andy Warhol’s iconic works, was sold to her son, Prince Albert II of Monaco, following a spirited Sotheby’s auction in Monaco.

Prince Albert, present at the event, prevailed in a fierce bidding duel against Stéphane Cherki, the millionaire mayor of the picturesque coastal village of Èze. Cherki later remarked he would have gifted the painting to the Prince regardless. The piece had been exhibited at the prestigious Monte Carlo Grand Casino beforehand, drawing royal and collector attention.

What captivated Prince Albert most was the striking resemblance of the portrait and he adored the background: the unmistakable nighttime silhouette of Monaco’s port as it appeared in 1955. Peter Engels explained to the Prince that the view drew direct inspiration from Alfred Hitchcock’s thriller To Catch a Thief, where Grace Kelly starred opposite Cary Grant in her glamorous Riviera role. This cinematic nod adds layers of timeless elegance to the sepia-toned masterpiece.

Peter Engels painting the Grace Kelly portrait painting, pallet and knife in hand.

Princess Grace was a remarkable lady. She died in a car crash in 1982. Artist Peter Engels painted her portrait. This painting was auctioned by Sotheby’s. Prince Albert of Monaco, son of Princess Grace, was present at the auction. He bought the masterpiece after a fierce bidding duel with Stéphane Cherki, millionnaire and mayor of Eze. Later Cherki said that he would have given the painting to the Prince as a gift anyway. It is the largest painted portrait of Grace Kelly (2 x 1 meter). Twice as big as Andy Warhol’s. In the background we see the unmistakable shape of the Monaco port by night anno 1955. Alfred Hitchcock’s thriller “To Catch a Thief” inspired Peter Engels to paint the view on the port. In that movie Grace Kelly performs the leading role at Cary Grant’s side. The painting was exhibited in the Monte Carlo Grand Casino prior to being sold to Prince Albert of Monaco.

Peter Engels painting the Grace Kelly portrait painting, pallet and knife in hand.

The Grace Kelly portrait painting in Peter Engels atelier prior to the shipment to Monaco.

The Grace Kelly portrait painting next to Nelson Mandela in Peter Engels' atelier.

Detail of the Grace Kelly portrait painting

Detail of the painting's background picturing the nightly Monaco port anno 1955. Alfred Hitchcock’s thriller “To Catch a Thief”, in which Grace Kelly performs the leading role at Cary Grant’s side, inspired Peter Engels to paint the Monaco port by night. Up close these horizontal and vertical knife strokes seem very abstract. From a distance however we see that they are in fact yachts.

In the background of the painting we see the unmistakable shape of the nightly Monaco port anno 1955. Alfred Hitchcock’s thriller “To Catch a Thief”, in which Grace Kelly performs the leading role at Cary Grant’s side, inspired Peter Engels to paint the Monaco port by night. Look on Youtube for: Grace Kelly picnics with Cary Grant in Monaco, 'To Catch a Thief' (1955)

Artist Peter Engels at the Monaco port. In the background of the painting we see the unmistakable shape of this port anno 1955. Like we see in the background of the Grace kelly painting.

Prince Albert of Monaco is shaking hands with Peter Engels with the Grace Kelly portrait painting in the background. That day Prince Albert bought the painting.

Prince Albert of Monaco shaking hands with artist Peter Engels in front of the Grace Kelly portrait painting

Prince Albert of Monaco with Peter Engels' book

Prince Albert of Monaco buys Grace Kelly painted by Peter Engels