ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Matan Ben-Cnaan Wins BP Portrait Award for Biblical Allegory Painting

award · 2026-04-20

Israeli artist Matan Ben-Cnaan received the first prize in the BP Portrait Award for his painting Annabelle and Guy. The work portrays a friend with his stepdaughter in an allegorical interpretation of the Biblical story of Jephthah. Ben-Cnaan was awarded £30,000 along with a £5,000 commission. The BP Portrait Award 2015 exhibition will be displayed at the National Portrait Gallery from 18 June to 20 September.

Key facts

  • Matan Ben-Cnaan is an Israeli artist
  • He won the first prize of the BP Portrait Award
  • The winning work is titled Annabelle and Guy
  • The portrait depicts a friend with his stepdaughter
  • The painting is an allegorical representation of the Biblical story of Jephthah
  • Ben-Cnaan received £30,000 as prize money
  • He also received a £5,000 commission
  • The BP Portrait Award 2015 exhibition runs from 18 June to 20 September at the National Portrait Gallery

Entities

Artists

  • Matan Ben-Cnaan

Institutions

  • National Portrait Gallery

Locations

  • London
  • United Kingdom

Sources