Nicole Kidman

Peter Engels: “For one month Nicole Kidman stayed in my home village, Brasschaat, just steps from my atelier. She used to jog down my street,” Peter Engels says.

Nicole Kidman lived in Brasschaat while shooting some of the scenes for her movie, “Grace of Monaco” at the AED film studios in Lint.

Peter Engels: “This was my one in a million chance to paint her. This painting is a tribute to both Nicole Kidman and Grace Kelly.”

Look closely at the painting. Watch the sunlight shining delicately through the holes in the straw hat, creating some beautiful clair-obscur effects onto the skin.

That is why the painting is titled ‘Gracious Sunlight’, also referring to Grace Kelly.

The painting found its home in a French art collection in Cannes. Therefor, in a way, part of Nicole Kidman actually was present in Cannes to honour the award for Queen of the Cannes Film Festival.