Scottish portrait painter and illustrator.
Among the honours Boden received were a gold medal at the Paris Salon, and he was appointed a Freeman of the City of London, and a liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Painter-Stainers. Boden was the chairman of the Chelsea Arts Club in the 1960s and a vice-president of the Artists’ General Benevolent Institution.
In the Second World War Boden served in intelligence and as an anti-aircraft gunner. Following the war he began to professionally paint portraits, gaining a reputation for his depictions of actors such as Alastair Sim and Donald Wolfit, and the singer Boris Christoff. A portrait of Field Marshal Lord Milne was Boden’s first large scale commission in 1954, future portraits of notable dignitaries included three Lord Mayors of London, and Margaret Thatcher.
Pope Pius XII was painted by Boden in 1957, it was the only portrait that Pius granted sittings for. Fourteen sittings were held by Boden with the Pope, with many at the Pontiff’s summer residence in Castelgandolfo. Boden’s portrait was later hung in the Vatican.
Boden made 19 portraits of members of the British Royal family, including ten of Queen Elizabeth II and five of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. He was reputed to be the Queen’s favourite portrait painter.
Margaret, Boden’s wife would often contribute to his portraits, with their efforts having been described as a “a joint operation”. Boden was upset that unlike him, his wife was never elected a member of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters.
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