Heath Ledger's haunting portrait up for Australian art prize

Washington, Feb 22 : A portrait of the late actor Heath Ledger is in competition to land the prestigious Archibald Prize.

The portrait, titled Heath and painted by Ledger's friend Vincent Fantauzzo, is one of 249 entries to date for the Archibald Prize, the winner of which is to be decided on 7 March 2008.

The portrait features three versions of the actor - one haunted-looking rendition in the center of the canvas flanked by two whispering figures on either side.

According to Fantauzzo, originally one of the side figures was to be screaming, but the artist changed his concept, worrying that it would dominate the central figure, which he intended to be the focus.

"The whispering, the voices, the frustration or something comical - they [represent] different ways that we might be thinking in our own mind," People quoted Fantauzzo, as telling The Daily Telegraph.

Painted at Ledger's family's Perth home in December, Fantauzzo said the two men collaborated on the concept together.

Ledger sat for the portrait, even signing a form to vouch for its authenticity and qualify the piece for an Archibald Prize.

"He signed it in the wrong spot," Fantauzzo remembered.

ANI