Local artist reflects on his meetings with Henry Kissinger
He says what made him interested in Kissinger was the fact he was a significant figure on the world stage.
Local artist Robert Carley met with Henry Kissinger on four occasions and has crafted several caricatures of him over the years.
Carley says he loved to draw Kissinger not just because he had such an interesting face, but because when Carley was growing up, Kissinger was an important figure on the world stage.
"Kissinger was a grand master, he always knew how to make the next move," said Carley.
Carley was a longtime resident of Darien and now lives in Colchester,
Kissinger died at his home in Kent, Connecticut. That’s where Carley says one of his own caricatures hang on the wall.
"I was very excited to actually see right in front of me a real-life historic person -- a larger than life person -- and have the opportunity to give him a caricature,” Carley said. “I always thought he was such a witty guy, collected all his great quotes, put them together, surrounded them around his caricature."
Carley has drawn caricatures and met with every U.S. president since Jimmy Carter.
Carley says he first met Kissinger in Stamford.
"I wanted to take advantage of meeting a historical person who actually lived right in my state," said Carley.
Carley says he knows the Noble Peace Prize winner was often controversial, but he says no one could argue with the stature Kissinger achieved during a remarkable lifetime that ended at the age of 100.
