A portrait of the Star Wars character known as Baby Yoda has been unveiled at a National Portrait Gallery pop-up exhibition in London.
The painting of The Mandalorian And The Child has gone on display at a gallery in Covent Garden ahead of the release of the second series of the spin-off series The Mandalorian on streaming service Disney+ on October 30.
The Child is the formal title for the character commonly referred to as Baby Yoda.
The oil painting, which measure three feet by two feet, will hang alongside portraits of other actors and creators from the film franchise, including Sir Alec Guinness, Thandie Newton, Felicity Jones, Ben Morris, Riz Ahmed and Gareth Edwards, from the National Portrait Gallery’s own collection.
The display will also include original concept art from The Mandalorian created by artists such as Doug Chiang, John Park and Christian Alzman.
The painting shows the helmeted gunfighter the Mandalorian, played in the show by Pedro Pascal, alongside the pint-sized green character, who has become an internet sensation since the first series debuted on the streaming platform.
The show will return on October 30 as The Mandalorian faces enemies and rallies allies as he makes his way through a dangerous galaxy in the tumultuous era after the collapse of the Galactic Empire.
Luke Bradley-Jones, senior vice president at Disney+, said: “This is truly the way to mark the arrival of the second season of The Mandalorian.
“We are honoured to unveil this portrait in collaboration with the esteemed National Portrait Gallery.
“The show and characters created by Jon Favreau have been embraced by fans across the UK who can now stand a step closer to inspect them on canvas before streaming the new episodes.”
Ros Lawler, chief operating officer at the National Portrait Gallery, added: “There is no doubt that Star Wars is a cultural phenomenon that has had a huge impact on popular culture and has involved a wide range of talent from across the British film industry.
“We are delighted to have worked with Disney+ on the Star Wars display, which includes the painting of The Mandalorian And The Child.
“We hope that this unique collaboration between the Gallery and Disney+ will encourage new audiences and young people to our collection, allowing them to come face to face with their Star Wars heroes.”
This portrait will be on display to the general public via a free-ticketed event on October 30 and 31 at The Unit, 40 Earlham St, West End, London WC2H 9LH.
People should register their interest in a free ticket to the display by contacting gallery@wdwentertainment.com.
