Royals, celebrities, judges, clergymen, leading academics and fellow artists – the latest monograph of David Cobley’s artwork, All By Myself, is a compendium of faces, each one a vivid, powerful presence. Portraits are not the only thing the Wiltshire-based artist paints, but it has been a staple part of his work throughout his career and remains so today.

It’s clear that each painting is far more than a snapshot. Portrait painting is an intimate process, one in which the sitter often opens up about their life and thoughts – and David’s paintings reflect his knack for striking up a rapport with his subjects. “People have always fascinated me, the way we think and behave and so on, and that’s one of the reasons I took up portrait painting,” he says. “I’m quite a shy person and, looking back, being with someone and talking used to be something I found