Portrait of Angela Merkel unveiled at museum in Berlin

Painting by Jérémie Queyras shows former German chancellor in trademark jacket – at a time of nostalgia for her ruleOver months they met secretly in a studio in the government quarter of central Berlin – a young artist and his subject, the former German chancellor Angela Merkel. For hours at a time, while Jérémie Queyras painted her portrait, they bonded, Merkel has said, chatting “about all and sundry”. Sometimes they were silent, or they listened to classical music, taking it in turns to let each other choose the pieces.The result of what Merkel, 71, called their “little adventure” was unveiled