A portrait capturing an eight-year-old boy and his time at home during the pandemic, which became the inspiration for a painting by his father, has been revealed as the winner of this year’s National Gallery of Ireland’s Zurich Portrait Prize. “Portrait of a Boy, Morning” by Aidan Crotty was announced as the winning portrait at a virtual ceremony last night. As well as a prize of €15,000, the artist will receive a commission worth €5,000 to produce a new work for the National Portrait Collection. Born in Waterford, Aidan Crotty currently lives and works in west Sligo. He graduated in 2004 with a BA in Fine Art Painting from the Crawford College of Art and Design, Cork. Crotty began the painting of his son when schools were closed and movement was restricted as a result of the pandemic. Crotty says, “Absorbed in the notable quiet, Rían turns to feel the morning light warm his face. As we moved from spring into summer this painting gave a basic structure to start the day and is a record of our time in confinement.”

Sarah Bracken Soper and Sathishaa Mohan received highly commended prizes and the sum of €1,500 for their respective portraits, “Trailblazer” and “Dylan Logan”.

In the Zurich Young Portrait Prize, the judges Maria Cagney, Colin Davidson and Aoife Dooley selected a winner from each age category (ages 6 and under, ages 7-11, ages 12-15, ages 16-18), in addition to an overall winner.

“Is this Normal?” by Eva McParland, 14, was selected as the overall winner of the Zurich Young Portrait Prize. As well as a personalised wooden box of art materials, the prize includes a €500 prize. Eva explains, “This portrait is of my younger sister Ellen. The mask she is putting on is central to the piece. It seems nearly normal now; but not long ago it would seem strange. I think this provokes deeper questions about the concept of normality.”

Conor McPolin, 6, won the youngest category with “Conor”, a self-portrait.

In the second category, 10-year-old Jiayi Sun won with a self-portrait set in Beijing, “Myself Eating Ice Cream”.

“A girl in silence”, a portrait about freeing imagination by 12-year-old Zili Yang, was the winner of the category for ages 12-15.

JohnLuka Doherty, 17, won the final category with “Joey”, a portrait of the artist’s school basketball coach. Each category winner was awarded a personalised box of art materials alongside a prize of €250.

Need to Know: The Zurich Portrait Prize exhibition, featuring the winning portrait alongside 25 other shortlisted works, is now open at the National Gallery of Ireland, and runs until 21 March 2021 alongside the Zurich Young Portrait Prize exhibition of 20 shortlisted portraits. Both exhibitions will travel to Crawford Art Gallery in Cork in 2021; www.nationalgallery.ie.