Fan Art of The Month: Rossella Paints Henry & Shares Her Story

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Hello handsome! - we had brought you Rossella's photo with Henry last year, after she met him while he filmed The Man from U.N.C.L.E. in Italy. Now we're highlighting her art. She was inspired to paint Henry after chatting with him briefly and we wanted to know more about how her piece came about. Here's her story.

Tell us about how you met Henry and what that experience was like?

Well, some days before meeting Henry outside the hotel where he was staying during the filming of "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." I found out on a website all the news about the set and his arrival in Naples, where I live. So I decided to try to meet him on the set or in town. I had been trying to meet him for 4/5 days. Eventually I made up my mind and on the 30th of September 2013, I decided to wait for him outside the "Grand Hotel Vesuvio." I had been waiting for him for almost 5 hours and suddenly I saw him leave the hotel to have lunch, maybe. I gathered all my courage and walked towards him. When I asked him if we could take a photo together, he replied in a very polite way, telling me to wait just half an hour when he came back to the hotel. I was completely excited (because of his nice way of speaking a little bit of Italian), so I agreed, of course. After half an hour he came back and surprisingly he noticed me first, walking over to where I was to remind me to take the photo. Very nice of him. So we took the photo, he thanked me with beautiful "GRAZIE" and he shook my hand just saying "CIAO." He crossed the street and when he arrived at the entrance of the hotel he waved back at me again. The most beautiful, exciting and amazing experience I have ever had.

What inspired you to paint him?

When I met him, the first thing that captured all my attention was his eyes. I love painting, and even if it seems strange to say, I can' t live without it. I adore making portraits and focus my "skill" on painting eyes. Before meeting Henry I just knew about his heterochromia and had found his eyes to be AMAZING. But when I saw them in real life I thought : "WOW." I love looking for beautiful and particular eyes to paint, but as far as I am concerned, Henry's eyes are still the most wonderful I have ever seen. If I have to be sincere it was his "blemish" (even if think it is a beautiful peculiar quality), the particular deep blue of his eyes and his manners that inspired me (and of course his physical beauty).

What can you tell us about your choice of colors, background, and theme in general, including that scratch on his chest?

I decided to paint an angel who looks like Henry because his face reminds me of that of an angel: above all because of his eyes (as I said before), his somatic characteristics, his beautiful curly hair, his behavior (so polite and friendly) etc... I don't really know why this was my inspiration, it was something that I saw just in my imagination and I decided to paint what stood in my mind. In my opinion blue it is his color. The first time I met Henry he wore a blue t-shirt and I imagined the portrait with a beautiful sky, full of many shades of blue in the background. About that scratch on his chest, I can't explain in a simple way why I chose to paint it on his body. Generally, when I make "fantasy" portraits, I like imagining people, who are as beautiful on the outside as they are in the inside, and the interior beauty must come also from life experience; the scratch, in my opinion, symbolizes bad experiences which make people stronger (and more interesting).

How long did it take you to finish it and what materials did you use?

Well... It took me almost 3 months to finish it. I used a canvas panel which could make the portrait last much longer.

Why are you a fan of Henry's?

I am sincere: I became Henry's fan the moment I saw him in real life. It may sound strange but it is the truth. Before that amazing experience I had just seen "Immortals" and "Man of Steel." After that day I have been trying to make up for lost time, even with my "art".

Best wishes 

Rossella Di Franco

We are highlighting Rosella's work on our main page. We'll also be posting other Henry-inspired videos and drawings in the coming weeks. If you want to submit yours, email us at henrycavillnews@gmail.com. Thanks for sharing your admiration for Henry everyone!