By the 1960s Christian had become an established portrait artist and travelled across Europe exhibiting his paintings and drawings.
His earlier portraits include Antonio Vargas, Howard Greer, Blake Edwards, Count Guido di Carpegna, Prince Edmuondo Ruspoli, HRH Princess Lalla Fatima Zohra, Mr. George Ansley and Mr. Peter Cazalet, racehorse trainer to the Queen Mother.
In 1969 he held a one man exhibition of his drawings at the Upper Grosvenor Galleries in London.
“I do not know which to admire the most; your courage in defying the tendencies of modern art or the skill with which you have done so.” Thus wrote Lord Kenneth Clark at a time when Lord Clark, having just launched his universally acclaimed series, “Civilization”, on UK television, was considered one of the supreme voices in the art world. Lord David Eccles, Minister of the Arts, wrote just as enthusiastically, addressing many admiring and encouraging letters to the artist, as indeed did Professor Sir Anthony Blunt, who was then the director of the Courtauld Institute of Art where he hoped Christian would one day exhibit.