Harold Riley: Painting Nelson Mandela
Witness History

Harold Riley: Painting Nelson Mandela

B2Upper-intermediateSeptember 25, 202610 min
  • Documentary

Harold Riley was the only artist in the world given the opportunity to paint Nelson Mandela from life. When Mandela agreed to pose for the English artist, it marked the beginning of a remarkable relationship. Over 18 months, the pair met on six occasions in South Africa, resulting in a portrait unveiled in 2005 that later raised more than $1m for children's charities when it was sold at auction in New York. In 2025, Reena Stanton-Sharma used archive recordings of Harold Riley to tell the story behind the artist's unique access to Nelson Mandela. Witness History...

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1:09

But if you're new here, then here's what you need to know. We're the podcast that brings history to life by hearing from those who are there. Episodes are less than 10 minutes long and they come out every weekday. If that appeals to you, why not hit subscribe and turn your push notifications on.

1:26

Now in 2025, Rheenastant and Sharma went through the archives to tell you the story of the only artist who was ever granted a sitting to paint one of the most famous men in the world.

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