CM: Kimon Friar was a close friend of Natalia Mela and had written about her work. It was Mela's wish to create Friar's portrait in gratitude of his friendship towards her. Mela recalls that Friar posed very willingly for her in the early hours of the morning, which they both enjoyed. There were some dozen sittings lasting approximately a couple of hours each. The resulting portrait is an idealistic likeness of Kimon Friar's head. The well-proportioned face and well-kept posture are highly academic, becoming very much the sitter. Though the facial expression appears to be frozen and silent – eyes fixed and lips shut – the beholder may very well appreciate a the portrait of Kimon Friar; telling of a great humanist with a great admiration for Greek culture as a whole. Looking back, Mela recalls her Bust Portrait of Kimon Friar was ready just before an exhibition of hers in 1964.
