Positano by Tony Bennett

POSITANO

Were he not so successful as a travelling troubadour, Bennett might well have identified solely with his painting. Three of his paintings are part of the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Institution. Over the years he has been commissioned by Givenchy, the United Nations, the Kentucky Derby, and the New Orleans Jazz Festival to create images; among some of the celebrated owners of original Benedettos are President Clinton, Oprah Winfrey, Katie Couric, and the late Cary Grant. He mainly paints landscapes and still-lifes in oil and watercolor.

The paintings shown here are a New York still-life and landscapes in Carmel, California, and in Tuscany. Among the portraits he is currently working on is one of Lady Gaga, an undertaking that was inspired by their recent collaboration on a duet that will be featured in a new album to be released later this month.