Random Inspiration: Howard Somerville (Updated)

September 11, 2013, 9:15 pm

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Norahoil on canvas 124.5 X 100 cm

In the current age, when there is so much information so readily available at our fingertips, it can be maddening to find oneself at a dead end while researching a public figure.  It is hard to imagine that an artist who has more than three dozen paintings in public museums, would have no accessible biographical information online.  Nevertheless, such is the case with portrait artist Howard Somerville.  If there is any 20th century representational artist who has a claim to being pushed into obscurity, it is Somerville.

We know where he was from - most sources say that he was British, but others claim he was Scottish - so it is probably safe to say he was from the United Kingdom.  We know he was born in 1873 and died in 1952.  We know Somerville was a contemporary of Sir William Orpen, and that by the look of his work, either studied with Orpen, or at least emulated the Irishman.  And we know he was not T. Howard Somervell, winner of an Olympic Gold Medal and the climber who scaled Mt. Everest in 1922, even though Wikipedia directs all enquiries into Somerville to Somervell's page. 

And that is about the extent of the information available on Howard Somerville.

I have contacted a curator in England whose museum owns several of Somerville's paintings, and I hope that she may be able to provide me with a biography on the artist.  I also welcome any information  that readers of this blog can provide.  In the meantime, please enjoy these samples of Howard Somerville's paintings.

UPDATE: September 12, 2013.  Jill Iredale, Curator of Fine Art at the Cartwright Hall Art Gallery in Bradford, England, responded very quickly to my request for more information on Howard Somerville.  She confirmed that the artist is indeed Scottish;  he was born in Dundee in 1873.  Unfortunately, that is the extent of the museum's information.  Ms. Iredale would, as well, appreciate any additional information that may be uncovered about the artist.

As for now, Mr. Somerville remains a mystery.

Miss Nora Baring oil on canvas 125 X 99 cm

Sylvia (1922)oil on canvas 101.6 X 76.2 cm

Mrs. Fred Young oil on canvas 125.8 X 100.6 cm

Gipsy oil on canvas 92.5 X 72 cm

Dame Bertha Surtees Phillpotts (1925) oil on canvas 100 X 75 cm

Elizabeth Woodville oil on canvas 76.2 X 63.5 cm

Diana Ogilvy oil on canvas 220 X 150 cm

Alderman Charles Hardman, Mayor of Oldham oil on canvas 152.5 X 101.5 cm

Zulu Head (1921) oil on canvas 61 X 51 cm

Zulu with a Black Eyeoil on canvas 59 X 49 cm

Nigel, a Zulu oil on canvas 91 X 76 cm

Joseph Estlin Carpenter oil on canvas 86.4 X 62.2 cm

The Late Reverend Theodore Bailey Hardy, VC, DSO, MC (1919)oil on canvas 91.4 X 76.2 cm

Howard Somerville, Esq. (In the Studio) oil on canvas 110 X 85 cm

The Artist and Model oil on canvas 74.9 X 61.9 cm

In the Studio No. IV :  Self Portrait oil on canvas 151 X 100 cm

Laurita oil on canvas 100 X 75 cm

Sir Henry Kenyon, Treasurer of the University of Sheffield oil on canvas 120 X 86 cm

W.H. Brocklehurst, JP oil on canvas 112 X 86.5 cm

Butler Wood oil on canvas 112 X 88 cm

Sir James Hill oil on canvas 152.5 X 101.5 cm

Lady Hill oil on canvas 151 X 100.5 cm

Lady in Silk Dress with Pearls oil on canvas 44 X 24 in.

Portrait of a Young Woman oil on canvas 63.5 X 50.8 cm

The Chinese Fan oil on canvas 74.5 X 62 cm

Joyce oil on canvas 74.7 X 62.1 cm

Julie with the Oranges oil on canvas 76 X 63.5 cm

Joyce and a Mantilla Shawl oil on canvas 92 X 76.8 cm

Eileen oil on canvas 128.4 X 103 cm

The Red Burnous oil on canvas 126 X 102 cm

Elissa Landi oil on canvas 125.9 X 99.5 cm

Howard Somerville's publicly-owned paintings are in the collections of many institutions in the United Kingdom, including: Gallery Oldham, The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Culture Service, the Cartwright Hall Art Gallery, Girton College at the University of Cambridge, the Worchester Guildhall, the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum, the Atkinson Art Gallery Collection, Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens, the collection of the Lancaster City Council, The Stanley & Audrey Burton Gallery at the University of Leeds, Harris Manchester College at the University of Oxford, the Watford Museum, the Walker Art Gallery, the Grundy Art Gallery, the collection of the South Ayrshire Council, the Potteries Museum & Art Gallery, the University of Sheffield, the Dundee Art Galleries and Museums, The Mercer Art Gallery, Portsmouth Museums and Record Service, the Imperial War Museums, and the Shipley Art Gallery.  There is also a portrait of "Joyce" (not pictured here) in the collection of the Huntington Museum of Art in West Virginia.

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Words of Wisdom: Mary E. Cornelissen Lucas (1855-1921)

September 15, 2013, 6:45 am

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Mrs. Seymour Lucas (Mary E. Cornelissen)

Mary E. Cornelissen was an artist working in late 19th century London, best known for her portraits of children.  She was born in Paris in 1855, to an English mother and a Dutch father, and her training in art reflected this multi-cultural beginning, with studies in France, Germany, and England.  On her father's side, she had a rich artistic lineage, claiming a descent from Antonius Cornelissen of Antwerp, a patron and friend to Sir Anthony Van Dyck.  She was also related through marriage to Peter Paul Rubens.  In 1877, she married another artist, John Seymour Lucas, and the two frequently exhibited together at the Royal Academy.

In 1910 Mrs. Lucas was asked to contribute to volume four of the book, Every Woman's Encylopaedia (London, 1910-1912), for which she wrote an article on painting children.  The following excerpt is from the introduction, in which she addresses young women considering a career in art, though her advice is applicable to either gender.

The embarking on a career in art is one which, in my opinion, should not be undertaken lightly. Many people, unfortunately, start in the belief that the artist's is an easy life, which gives plenty of opportunity for enjoyment, and is full of that free and easy "Bohemianism" which looks so attractive on the outside.

Let me earnestly entreat everyone to disabuse his or her mind of this fallacy. 

Art is a hard taskmistress. The words have become a proverb. They are true. I have lived all my life in the world of art, and I have known the greatest painters of my time. Yet I have seen the unceasing study these men devote to their work, for the earnest painter never ceases to be a student. Not only that, but I have seen the strain under which they live in their attempt to set down on canvas what their imagination has conceived and their eyes have seen. I have watched the difficulties they have had to wrestle with, and the problems they have had to solve by dint of long hours of hard labour, and I know how far from easy is the life. I know all this, not only as an artist myself and the wife of an artist, but also by having lived all my life among artists.

Interestingly, in most references to Mrs. Lucas, she is overshadowed by her husband, J. Seymour Lucas, a history and genre painter, and a full Royal Academician.  Her first name and maiden name - despite the heritage - are usually forgotten, and instead she is referred to only as "Mrs. Seymour Lucas;"  this includes the attribution in the article she wrote for the Encyclopaedia.  Of course, this manner of address was common in polite Victorian society, but today it seems odd.  Fortunately, Mary Lucas was able to have a career in art and a supportive husband, a not-so-common occurrence in her day.  Even among schools that taught women in late 19th century Europe, if the female student intended to marry, she would have been dismissed from the school, as a married women was considered incapable of also being true to her art.

NJ: 2nd Annual High Bridge Paint Out

September 16, 2013, 8:55 pm

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There is still time to register for the Second Annual High Bridge Paint Out, taking place next month on October 12th.  Last year's event was a big success, and the town hopes that it can make the Paint Out grow and grow.  This year, cash prizes for the top three prize winners have increased (thanks to good sales during the auction), and next year there are hopes to bring in vendors in an attempt, according to coordinator Michele Schwartz, to continue to make this event as artist-friendly as possible.

For more information visit HighBridge.org

From the High Bridge Paint Out press release:

After its highly successful inaugural appearance in 2012, the High Bridge Paint Out is returning this Fall with much anticipation. Throughout the day, artists will be scattered around town capturing the historic charm and natural beauty that High Bridge has to offer in the media of their choice. Later in the evening the public is invited to see their finished works on display in a juried competition at the Borough Commons Park. Artwork will also be offered for sale in a silent auction. Live music and light refreshments will be available. Plein air artist Aida Birritteri will return as one of our judges this year, and will be joined by artist Jamie Lindholm owner of The Martinsville Studio. If you’re an artist and would like to participate, the registration form and prospectus can be downloaded from the Borough’s website under the Document and Forms section. If you’re a collector or just appreciate art, mark your calendars so you don’t miss this fine event.

Jamie Lindholm, owner of the Martinsville Studio and State Ambassador National Coordinator for the Portrait Society of America, painting the Annex Building at the historic Solitude House at last year's event.  This year Jamie will be one of the High Bridge Paint Out judges,

Upcoming Workshops (NYC): Max Ginsburg "The Poetry of Color"

September 17, 2013, 10:30 am

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Upcoming Workshops (NYC): Max Ginsburg "Painting a Portrait"

September 17, 2013, 10:31 am

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Upcoming Workshops (VT): Jeff Legg

September 17, 2013, 11:30 am

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The High Street Painters will be hosting a workshop with painter Jeff Legg next month, from the 24th through the 27th of October.  Legg, who spends most of his time out West, is a Master Signature Member of the Oil Painters of America, well known for his dramatically-lit still lifes.  Come join him for this four-day workshop, where he will introduce his techniques and practices to students on the East Coast.

The High Street Painters is the studio of Putney Painter, Andrea Scheidler.  It is located at 24 High Street in Brattleboro, Vermont.  For more information on the studio or for the workshops offered there, please contact Andrea at HighStreetPainters@yahoo.com.

On View (CA): "Terra Firma" at the Maxwell Alexander Gallery

September 19, 2013, 7:55 pm

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Jeremy Lipking Summer Stream 12 X 16 in. oil

Currently on view at the Maxwell Alexander Gallery in Culver City, California, is "Terra Firma," a new exhibit celebrating the landscape as interpreted by 14 of today's top young artists.

“Since the earliest times, artists have been striving to recreate the beauty they are surrounded by through their artistic interpretations," says Beau Alexander, owner of the Maxwell Alexander Gallery.  "This tradition of landscape continues to this day. This group of paintings is a representation of true contemporary landscape art.” 

“We wanted the artists in the show to interpret the landscape however they saw fit,” says Beau Alexander, gallery owner. “From the Desert Southwest to the ocean to New Zealand, the artwork in this show shows a wide variety of our natural world.”

Artists participating in the show include:

Tony Abeyta

G. Russell Case

Kim Cogan

Glenn Dean

Josh Elliott

Phil Epp

Logan Hagege

Jeremy Lipking

Ed Mell

Ray Roberts

Matt Smith

Tim Solliday

Vincent Xeus

Dennis Ziemienski

Terra Firma will remain on view through October 26, 2013. To see a preview of all the paintings in the show, click here.

The Maxwell Alexander Gallery is located at 6144 Washington Boulevard, in Culver City, California. For more information on the show, please visit the gallery's website, or contact the sales manager, Beau Alexander, at 310.839.9242.

Glenn Dean Desert Glory 25 X 30 in. acrylic

Dennis Ziemienski Desert Cattle Drive 12 X 24 in. oil

G. Russell Case Single Tree 10 X 20 in. oil

Phil Epp Running Horses 22 X 44 in. acrylic

Josh Elliott Southern Alps 15 X 30 in. oil

Kim Cogan Wave No. 22 18 X 24 in. oil

Vincent Xeus Escaping Light 5 X 7 in. oil

Ray Roberts Where Water Meets the Land 24 X 30 in. oil

Matt Smith Apache Cliffs 18 X 22 in. oil

Tim Solliday Eucalyptus Grandeur

Arcadia Gallery : Redefining Contemporary

September 21, 2013, 7:45 pm

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Michael Lukasiewicz Lost in Thought acrylic on panel 24 X 22 in.

As many of you are probably aware, Arcadia Gallery in SoHo is no more.  This is not to say that it is gone completely;  it has instead changed its focus and its name.  Arcadia Gallery is now Arcadia Contemporary.

I would not go so far as to say this change has "upset" many people, but I will say that the change has made many people "concerned," including myself.  Arcadia has been a great place to see well-crafted representational work, in a city where the shocking, the grotesque, and the skill-less in art still rule - and still command top dollar.  Arcadia Gallery was an oasis, and when you tell wanderers in a desert that the oasis will be changing, there is bound to be some trepidation.

Henrik Uldalen Floating 31 X 43 in.

Mary Jane Ansell Girl in a Shako oil on panel 12 X 17 in.

As part of this change at Arcadia, there are several artists who will no longer be exhibiting with the gallery.  Michael Klein amicably parted company with the gallery earlier this year, before any announcement of changes were made, and more recently it was released that Robert Liberace and Ron Hicks will also no longer be exhibiting there.  Dorian Vallejo, whose first solo show with Arcadia was set for this autumn, was also let go, just last month.  It is the gallery's view that these artists are, without doubt, extremely talented, but that their work is too much mired in the past, and not "forward-looking" enough.

Kim Cogan Surf Motel oil on canvas 48 X 60 in.

Casey Baugh Nocturne oil on panel 24 X 24 in.

Eric Pedersen Sarah Sleeping 112 X 78 in.

Bruno Walpoth Should I 165 cm tall oil and wood

Daniel Ochoa Union Street Entrada 36 X 48 in.

Cynics have claimed that the decision by Steve Diamant, owner of Arcadia, to change the aim of the gallery is purely a financial one, designed to appeal to a "certain crowd" and to increase the gallery's  sales and profits.  To this claim, I have two responses.  Firstly, art galleries are businesses, and their operators, just like the artists they represent, get paid only when artworks are sold.   No one should expect a gallery owner to go broke solely for the purpose of defending a painter's right to create whatever he chooses.  It is expensive to run a gallery, especially in New York City – (if space in the City were cheap, we would all have studios and our own private boutique galleries there) – and whether we like it or not, galleries must make decisions on the basis of the market and on the potential for sales.  Secondly, I personally do not feel that Diamant's decision to remake the gallery was one of trying to tap into a higher income market;  I believe it has everything to do with aesthetics and Diamant's individual vision for the gallery.  I have known Steve for several years now, and in our discussions at the gallery or via emails, he has consistently asked me the same question about current representational art – where is the imagination?  He acknowledges the debt owed to today's academies and ateliers for bringing back classical skills, and he recognizes the talent those schools are producing, and he loves that artwork.  Unfortunately, he feels the majority of the young artists of today are so entrenched in emulating the past – i.e. the last time classical training really mattered – that everyone's work looks somewhat out-of-date, and also alike.  It is skilled, but antiseptic and impersonal.  Diamant does not want his gallery to be indistinguishable from other galleries out there which show representational artwork;  he wants his gallery to be a place where the representational artwork is original and unique.

"That's why I decided to make the change in the gallery name, roster, space, and soon-to-be, the website," says Diamant.  "I want to feature artists who are creating work that is speaking to what is going on in the world today. I will still only feature representational work, but it's going to be contemporary."

Dorian Vallejo Dreamer Inbetween oil 62 X 60 in.

Dorian Vallejo Awakening oil 58 X 61 in.

I cannot pretend I understand all of Diamant's choices.  Dorian Vallejo, for example, with his idealized figures, surrealistic imagery, and flawless technique, seems like he would be a perfect fit for the new Arcadia Contemporary.  But I suppose it's not really for me to understand.  It was Diamant's tastes that shaped the original Arcadia Gallery, and I was thrilled with what he produced, and, though I will miss the artists who have left, many of my favorites have stayed or have recently joined the gallery, and I will just have to have faith that Diamant's vision will shape another gallery that will thrill me.  And if this first show at Arcadia Contemporary is any indication of what is to come, it will.

Goodbye old friends;  I will look forward to your work in your new galleries.  Hello new friends;  I cannot wait to see what you'll create!

Jeremy Lipking Nocturne Delphine oil on panel 10 X 8 in.

Arcadia Contemporary's first show, a group exhibition of small works, opened on September 19th.  I was unable to attend, but I understand that within the first hour, nearly every piece had sold.  And isn't that really what we all want from a gallery after all?  An owner who knows his clientele and who is able to sell our work?  Perhaps Steve knows what he is doing after all.

Matthew W. Cornell Working Late oil on panel 9 X 12 in.

PS –  I don't like the word "Contemporary" in association with a gallery name, only because it has become synonymous with capital M-o-d-e-r-n, Modern art.  Yet, I am one of those people who want the rest of the world to know that representational art is certainly a current, and therefore contemporary, art genre.  I suppose that through Arcadia appending "Contemporary" to its name, a larger section of the public may perhaps be introduced to the reality that representational art is a powerful and growing aspect of the art world today.  I can only hope.

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Upcoming Workshops (FL): Katherine Stone & David Gluck

September 21, 2013, 8:00 pm

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Marvin Mattelson Teaching Schedule at the School of Visual Arts, NYC

September 24, 2013, 8:40 pm

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Marvin Mattelson Wil de Hollander, President & CEO of the Velcro Corporation

When I was in college, I was greatly disappointed by the lack of practical art training I was receiving (I know, I know - we could have a club if we could ever find a clubhouse big enough for all of us. . .).  To try and make up for this rather large shortcoming in my art training, I turned to magazines and books  to learn how to paint.  I could only afford so many subscriptions, and so many books, and unfortunately, if the university library had the manuals I needed, I was never able to find them to borrow.  

The magazine I settled upon was Step-by-Step Graphics, a great periodical which sadly, is no longer published.  It was thick, printed on glossy stock paper, and most issues featured a pictorial description of a then-current illustrator's working method.  I learned several things while reading the articles, but those techniques were often like shortcuts, and without first knowing the long way around, I really did not gain the most from those instructions.

Most of my initial book purchases were monographs (John Singer Sargent, George Inness, Maxfield Parrish, and Michael Whelan were among the first), but there were another couple of books I picked up  which were equally inspiring.  These books were the Society of Illustrators Annuals.

Each year, the Society of Illustrators holds a juried competition, and all of those illustrators who are chosen have their accepted works printed in a large, hard-bound volume.  The pictures in these books are ostensibly the best artworks by the best illustrators working.  

I poured over those catalogs.  The images were beautiful, and I loved looking at them.  But those images also served another purpose;  they were my bar.  I knew if I ever had a shot at making it as an illustrator, I had to be as good as the people who made it into those Annuals.

The illustrator I was always drawn to in those books was Marvin Mattelson.  His work was always so clean, and his ideas were always so intelligent, but it was his ability to make the unreal appear real that attracted me the most.  I wanted to learn how to paint like that.  

As it turns out, Mattelson was (is) a teacher.  And I knew he was a good teacher, because in the back of those same Society of Illustrators Annuals there was a selection of juried student work, and Marvin's students were always justifiably making the cut.  I would have transferred schools then to learn from Mattelson, but I lacked the confidence and the right support to make such a big change.

Years later - and after many art books had been digested - a class catalog from the School of Visual Arts arrived in the mail.  I had no intention of going back to school, but as I casually leafed through the booklet while downing a bowl of cereal, I came across Mattelson's name, and it caused me to pause.  In addition to his regular undergraduate courses, Marvin was teaching a portrait painting in oils class for the continuing education department at SVA, and it just so happened to fit my schedule.  It was finally my chance to study with him.

I intended to take a single semester with Mattelson;  I ended up studying with him longer than I had with any other teacher.  In the first class alone, he covered in his demonstration practically everything I had spent a decade absorbing from books.  It was a great class;  I only wish I had taken it earlier.

Marvin Mattelson's Classical Portrait Painting class at the School of Visual Arts in New York City run from 10 AM to 4 PM on Saturdays. You can click here to sign up or to learn more. 

A demo painting from one of Mattelson's workshops.

Course description:There's more to painting a great portrait than capturing a likeness; it's about creating the illusion of life. Portraiture should reveal the character of the sitter and exude a lifelike essence. During this course, taught by award-winning portrait artist Marvin Mattelson, you will learn how to analyze, interpret and convincingly portray the human visage. The methodology presented is both broad in scope, yet simple to comprehend. It's based on the idea that logic, not frivolous rules nor superficial techniques, lies at the core of the greatest portraits ever created. Working from live models, you will discover a simple and straightforward way to achieve accurate drawing and to easily replicate any color you see, particularly the subtle translucent tones of the human complexion. You will also learn how to model form and to simulate the effects of luminosity, illusionistic depth and atmospheric space. All of the information covered in this course will be fully demonstrated and explained. NOTE: A Sunday afternoon field trip to the Met is included. Please bring a notebook and pen to the first session. A complete supply list will be distributed at the first session. This course may be taken for undergraduate credit. Please refer to FPD-2348-CE in the credit courses section of the SVA web site for details.

On the Nightstand

September 30, 2013, 8:00 am

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One of the many bookcases in my house.

As some of you have probably heard me say before, "I am a self-taught artist, and I have the college diploma to prove it!" During the interim between deciding to go to art school and when, many years later, I began taking workshops, the best instruction I received was from art books.  Over the years I have collected many books - exhibition catalogs, monographs, how-to's - and I treasure them all.  

My books are cataloged in "iBookshelf," a very convenient, if somewhat clunky, app, and although the database lists 536 titles, in reality, my collection is slightly larger than that.  I wish I could say I have read them all, but in recent years it has become harder to find the time to take them all in.  Of course, I haven't given up hope that someday I will be able to say I have digested them all.

I have bookcases throughout the house, and where I have over-filled those, I have teetering stacks growing up from the floor.  There is a special repository next to my bed, however, where I keep the books that I am perusing for research, or that I hope to read very soon.

Here are a few of the books currently on my nightstand.

I just received my copy of Richard Schmid's updated Alla Prima three days ago, and I'm already in love with it.  The revised book is noticeably bigger than the original, with many images of Schmid's work I had not seen before, and with many new demonstrations not included in the previous edition.  The text too has been expanded, with additional information included by Schmid in answer to questions readers have posed over the past 15 years the original was in print.  Since Schmid's classic book was such a valuable annual read - even for artists who do not work in style similar to his - this one can only be great too.  How can it not?  It's the same great instruction, but with even MORE PICTURES!

Alla Prima II is available directly from Stove Prairie Press for $125 (hardcover), or $85 (softcover). There is also an autographed collector's edition which includes a signed and numbered lithograph for $325. 

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I am not a pastelist, but this book has tempted me to explore the medium more.  It's intelligently organized with practical information and some great step-by-step sequences by the talented Eagle.  I particularly liked the sections dealing with the history of pastel painting.

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Artist Darren Rousar, who has previously written books on sight-size drawing and memory drawing, compiled this volume from two earlier books which are now in the public domain.  Both Asher B. Durand's "Letters on Landscape Painting," and Birge Harrison's "Landscape Painting" are available as separately reprinted books, with a combined price tag of $25, but here you can get both great books for under $14.

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So many books, so little time!  This book by British expert on late 19th century French art, Richard Thomson, offers a heady look at the popularity of Naturalist art and its role in politics.  I hope to be able to explore this book in depth soon.

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"Lavishly illustrated with beautiful pictures" is a description which is easily used too often, but in the case of this book, there couldn't be a better phrase for summing up the contents.  This is a gorgeous book which catalogs Mary Whyte's career from the late 1960s to the present, including some of her mid-career illustration work.  Whether or not you are a watercolorist, you will find Whyte's images, with their dramatic lighting and superb compositions, inspirational.

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In this book, David Galenson explores the two different types of creative individuals:  conceptual innovators who make early breakthroughs in life, and experimental innovators who make their major contributions to art much later in life.  I expect the book also deals with the societal shift since the 1960s which puts too much emphasis on the young, and ignores the creative output of older artists.  I look forward to reading this book.  

Malcolm Gladwell, whom I quoted in a previous post on talent, is apparently at work on a book of his own dealing with this same subject.

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This book is the second volume about American painting techniques written by conservators Lance Mayer and Gay Myers.  Artists covered include Whistler, Inness, Sargent, Benton, and Sloan.  The book promises to be good, though I wish it had perhaps stopped at the Armory Show, and had instead devoted those pages covering 1913 to 1945 to more turn-of-the-century art (of course, that may just be my bias).

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"For Love of Painting" is the only biography on Sir Gerald Kelly, a skilled artist and former President of the Royal Academy who saved several institutions from financial ruin after World War II by using TV and radio to entice more people to visit their local art museums.  The author, Derek Hudson, published this book within two years of Kelly's death in 1973, rightly predicting that if the artist was not memorialized quickly, the fickle art world would forget this great man.

This book sits on my nightstand waiting for me to read it a second time in preparation for a post on the artist.

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Paul-Jacques-Aimé Baudry was a successul French painter who gained fame for his mural decorations.  I picked up the book in an effort to trace relationships in technique between teachers and their pupils during the latter half of the 19th century.  Unfortunately, my French is still poor, so I have to slog through translating the book as I go.  

The images are nice, but the book is over-priced in the U.S..  If you are interested in the book, it is best to look for it from European sellers;  even with the cost of shipping, the book would be much cheaper if purchased that way.

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I cannot even remember where I came across this book, but I remember being drawn to the publication's tagline:  "You derive more benefit out of Campana's practical instruction books than out of any bulky publications costing two or three dollars." At quick glance, the instruction seems very basic and formulaic, but I do have to admire author D.M. Campana's business moxie;  he seems to have had his own little art business empire with more than three dozen training manuals, and a series of art prints which students could purchase for copying purposes.  Apparently, he also offered a correspondence course in picture painting for the price of $16.75 (this was 1935) that included "a complete set of oil colors, brushes, 6 canvases, polished wood box, 6 models in full colors, 6 criticisms, knife, palette, book of instruction and all." 

I haven't been able to bring myself to read this one yet.

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Author Mark David Gottsegen was the chair of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) international subcommittee on artists' paints and materials, and this book, revised in 2006, is likely the most comprehensive and up-to-date volume on artist supplies and safety available.  Gottsegen was passionate about the topic, and made a significant contribution to the arts with his tireless efforts into research and testing the basic ingredients that we use in our studios on a daily basis.  Sadly, Gottsegen passed away last week;  he will certainly be missed. 

Be sure to also check out the website of AMIEN (the Art Materials Information and Education Network), a group which Gottsegen founded, where he and other experts in artists' materials answer technical questions and share their research and discoveries.

Auction Preview: Illustration Art October 26 - NYC

October 4, 2013, 9:25 pm

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Donato Giancola (b. 1967) The Lady of Shalott oil on panel 46 X 57 in.

Recent illustration auctions at Heritage Art auctioneers have been heavily composed of pin-up and pulp art, with a respectable amount of Golden Age or mid-twentieth century illustrations filling out the remaining lots.  Occasionally, illustration work from the last quarter-of-a-century would also show up, but this was rare, and only amounted to a couple of works.  But in the upcoming Illustration Art Auction (#5145) taking place in New York City on October 26th, late 20th century illustration, specifically 1980s and 1990s fantasy art, forms a major portion of the sale.  

The bulk of the fantasy illustration in the auction comes from The Frank Collection, one of the world's largest - if not the largest - collection of fantasy art. Jane Frank, who oversees the collection, has been a connoisseur of fantasy art for the past 35 years, and since 1991, has run the Virginia gallery, Worlds of Wonder, where she specializes in the genre.  Many of the works she is selling through Heritage Art are iconic images from the last great heyday of publishing (before mergers resulted in fewer titles being released each year).

Some of the fantasy illustrators represented in the sale include J.C. Berkey, Kinuko Craft, Charles Santore, Leo and Diane Dillon, Brian Froud, Donato, Steve Hickman, Ken Kelly, Jim Burns, Clyde Caldwell, Les Edwards, Joe DeVito, Bob Eggleton, Jon Foster, H.R. Giger, Richard Hescox, James Gurney, Dan Horne, John Howe, Tom Kidd, Cortney Skinner, Jeffrey Jones, Romas, Carl Lundgren, Don Maitz, David Mattingly, Dean Morrisey, Kevin Murphy, Den Beauvais, Rowena, Keith Parkinson, Gary Ruddell, Walt Velez, James Warhola, and Michael Whelan.

These artists are joined by earlier greats, including Norman Rockwell, J.C. Leyendecker, Maxfield Parrish, Gil Elvgren, Dean Cornwell, N.C. Wyeth, and Howard Pyle, to name just a few.

A full preview of all lots up for sale is available October 24th through the 26th at the Ukrainian Institute of America at the Fletcher-Sinclair Mansion in New York City.  Currently, highlights from the sale are on view in Beverly Hills at the Heritage Art showroom on West Olympic Boulevard.  The first session of the auction will take place on the 26th at 12 PM EST, while the sale of items from the Frank Collection will take place at 3 PM.

The Fletcher-Sinclair Museum is located at 2 East 79th Street.  Previews run from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM on October 24th and 25th.  On October 26th, viewing runs from 10:00 AM until noon.

The catalog of the auction can also be viewed online here.

Kinuko Y. Craft (b. 1940) The Dreamer oil and lacquer on board 22.5 X 26 in.

Daniel R. Horne (b. 1960) A Dragon at World's End, 1997 oil on canvas 36 X 24 in.

Keith Parkinson (1958-2005) Castle Greyhawk oil on board 23.5 X 18 in.

James Gurney (b. 1958) Homecoming, 1984 oil on canvas laid on hardboard 22.25 X 13.5 in.

Stephen Hickman (b. 1949) The Archers of Lhune, 1990 mixed media on canvas 23 X 28.5 in.

Elaine Duillo (b. 1928) Secret Fire, 1987 gouache and watercolor on board 29 X 22 in.

Joe DeVito (b. 1957) The Further Adventures of Batman oil on panel 22.5 X 17 in.

Denis Beauvais (b. 1962) Isaac Asimov's Vampires, 1996 mixed media on board 20.75 X 13.75 in.

Jon Foster Darkness oil on canvas 39.5 X 29.5 in.

Kevin Murphy Streetfighter:  The Storytelling Game oil on board 27 X 20.5 in.

Boris Vallejo (b. 1941) The Ram oil on board 28 X 18.5 in.

H.R. Giger (b. 1940) Biomachanoid II acrylic on paper laid on board 39.25 X 27.5 in.

Michael Whelan (b. 1950) Lovecraft's Nightmare (diptych) acrylic on hardboard 16.5 X 27.5 in. (each)

Newell Convers Wyeth (1882-1945) "I thank him for the knowledge that - I shall not tell! . . . And, perhaps, . . . I shall not wholly die . . . perhaps", 1910ˆ oil on canvas 28 X 42.5 in.

Frank Earle Schoonover (1877-1972) MacIntosh oil on canvas board 26.5 X 40 in.

Joseph Christian Leyendecker (1874-1951) Harvard Crew Team, Howard Watch Company, 1907 oil on canvas 30 X 22 in.

William Henry Dethlef Koerner (1878-1938) A Daughter's Rescue oil on canvas 36 X 28 in.

Howard Pyle (1853-1911) A Puppet of Fate oil on canvas 24 X 16 in.

Dean Cornwell (1892-1960) The Artist and His Model, 1921 oil on canvas 34 X 36 in.

Gil Elvgren (1914-1980) Moonlight and Roses (Miss Sinclair 1965), 1963 oil on canvas 30 X 24 in.

Gil Elvgren (1914-1980) Lucky Dog (Dog Gone Robber), 1958 oil on canvas 30.25 X 24 in.

Norman Rockwell (1894-1978) The Song of Bernadette, 1944 oil on canvas 53 X 28 in.

Steve Hanks (1949) Standing on Her Own, 2005 watercolor on paper 14 X 5.25 in.

Bernard Fuchs (1932-2009) Slalom Skier, U.S. Olympics, 1984 oil on canvas 25 X 34 in.

Auction Preview: European Art Auction, Nov. 8, 2013, Heritage Auctions, Dallas

October 6, 2013, 5:55 pm

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Thomas Frederick Mason Sheard (1866-1921) Polishing Silver oil on canvas 40 X 33⅝ in.

Heritage Auctions, the third largest auction house in the world, will be holding its signature sale of European Art on November 8th.  Full previews of all 97 lots will take place November 6-8 at Heritage's Slocum Street location in Dallas.  For more information, or to see the full, online, auction catalog, please visit the HA website.

Franz Rumpler (1848-1922) Portrait of a Young Girl with a Mandolin and Cats oil on canvas 50 X 30 in.

Carl Ludwig Friedrich Becker (1820-1900) Mother and Child, 1878 oil on canvas 43¼ X 31in.

Arthur Hughes (1832-1915) The Footstep oil on canvas 18¾ X 27½ in.

Anders Zorn (1860-1920) Entering the Cellar, 1916 oil on canvas 38½ X 29

Anders Zorn (1860-1920) Little Girl in Traditional Dress, 1883 watercolor on paper laid on board 22¾ X 15 in.

Auction Preview: 19th Century European Art October 28th, Christie's NYC

October 8, 2013, 8:30 pm

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Edmund Blair Leighton (British, 1852-1922) To Arms!  'Sweet bridal hymn, that issuing through the porch is rudely challenged with the cry "To arms!"', 1888 oil on canvas 60 X 41 1/2 in.

It's Autumn, which means the auction houses in New York City are gearing up for their sales of 19th century European art.  Sotheby's will be holding their auction on November 8th, with highlights in the sale including works by Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema, and Joaquin Sorolla;  but coming up first will be the sale at Christie's, on October 28th.

The Christie's auction of 19th Century European Art features works by several artists frequently featured in such sales, including Barbizon School landscape painter Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, portraitist Giovanni Boldini, and maritime artist Montague Dawson, but it lacks some of the artists who usually draw the larger crowds, like Tadema, Gérôme, and Bouguereau (there is one piece for sale by Bouguereau's wife, Elizabeth Jane Gardner, however, and another by Tadema's second wife, Lady Laura).  What is unusual, and exciting, about this sale, however, is the presence of not one, but three paintings by Edmund Blair Leighton - a popular Victorian artist whose works come up for auction infrequently.

Born in London on September 21st, 1852, Edmund Blair Leighton was destined to follow in the footsteps of his father, Charles Leighton, a promising young artist who died when the boy was only three years old.  After Charles' death, Blair Leighton's mother established a school for young girls in order to support her family, and, fearing this was not the best environment to raise her young son, sent Blair Leighton to a boarding school in St. John's Wood, where he spent the next decade suffering mistreatment at the hands of his school masters.  At age twelve he left to attend the University College School, and by age fifteen he had completed his studies, and was sent to work for a tea merchant in London.  With the freedom he attained through his small income, he was finally able to pursue his own interests, and began attending evening classes at the South Kensington School of Art and at Heatherly's School of Art.  After six years working this way, Blair Leighton left his job, and enrolled full-time in the Royal Academy schools where he remained for another five years.

In 1878, Blair Leighton began exhibiting at the Royal Academy, and over the next 42 years, he contributed a total of sixty-six pictures to the annual summer exhibitions.  His paintings, which were "monumental in scale and appealing in subject matter,"were extremely popular with publishers, and with the public, many of whose homes contained reproductions of the artist's greatest works.  Although the highpoint of his career was reached at the turn of the century, when he passed away on September 1st, 1922, he was still remembered fondly in the newspapers for his ability to excite interest in antiquity and romance.

"To Arms!," which was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1888, depicts a young knight and his bride leaving the church immediately following their marriage ceremony. The young couple's parents stand on the Church steps and look on in consternation as a knight in full armor urgently informs the newlywed groom of impending war and his need to join the fight. This picture was clearly the first of a series of large paintings in which a knight and his lady are seen in incidents illustrative of the code of chivalry; God Speed was painted in 1900 (fig. 1), The Accolade followed in 1901 (fig. 2) and The Dedication in 1903. Much of the arms and armor that feature in all of these paintings as well as others were no doubt from the artist's own collection.

All 93 lots in the 19th Century European Art sale will be available for viewing at Christie's New York City location at 20 Rockefeller Plaza beginning October 24th.  The full catalog can also be viewed online at Christie's website.

VIEWING TIMES

October 24,     10am - 5pm

October 25,     10am - 5pm

October 26,     10am - 5pm

October 27,       1pm - 5pm

October 28,    10am - 12pm

To Arms! (detail)

Edmund Blair Leighton (British, 1852-1922) A Favour, 1898 oil on canvas 36 X 20 1/4 in.

Edmund Blair Leighton (British, 1852-1922) The New Governess, 1894 oil on canvas 22 3/4 X 15 5/8 in.

Lady Laura Alma-Tadema (British, 1852-1909) The Pledge, 1889 oil on panel 15 3/4 X 20 in.

Isidor Kaufmann (Austrian, 1853-1921) A Difficult Passage in the Talmud oil on panel 13 X 11 1/4 in.

Elizabeth Jane Gardner Bouguereau (American, 1851-1922) Moses in the Bulrushes oil on canvas 49 1/4 X 34 3/4 in.

Jules Adolph Goupil (French, 1839-1883) Le bibelot oil on panel 36 X 22 1/2 in.

Ugo Zannoni (Italian, 1836-1898) Seated Girl Crocheting, 1878 marble, with green marble pedestal 40 1/2 inches tall

Alberto Pasini (Italian, 1826-1899) On the Steps of the Mosque, Constantinople, 1872 oil on canvas 14 X 11 in.

Géza Vastagh (Hungarian, 1866-1919) Three Lions Walking Down a Rocky Hillside oil on canvas 66 1/2 X 53 in.

Henri-Joseph Harpignies (French, 1819-1916) Souvenir de Dauphiné, 1898 oil on canvas 32 X 25 7/8 in.

Emilio Sanchez-Perrier (Spanish, 1855-1907) Acalá de Henares oil on panel 15 3/4 X 22 in.

Montague Dawson (British, 1895-1973) Henry Morgan's Ship off Gorgona in the Pacific oil on canvas 40 X 50 in.

Benjamin Constant (French, 1845-1902) An Afternoon Idyll oil on canvas 24 1/8 X 39 1/2 in.

Giovanni Boldini (Italian, 1842-1931) Suonatrice di lira e ascoltatrice (Woman Playing a Lyre and a Listener), 1875 oil on panel 26 1/4 X 22 in.

James Jacques Joseph Tissot (French, 1836-1902) In the Conservatory (Rivals) oil on canvas 15 1/8 X 20 1/8 in.

From the Christie's press release:

New York– On Monday, 28 October, Christie’s will present the fall sale of 19th Century European Art in New York. The well-curated sale boasts a diverse selection of 93 lots, representing key schools and artists. Highlighting the sale is James Jacques Joseph Tissot’s Victorian masterwork, In the Conservatory (Rivals), while works from Alberto Pasini and Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot are among the Orientalist and Barbizon highlights. Female artists also figure prominently in the sale, including Elizabeth Jane Gardner Bouguereau and Rosa Bonheur, among others. The sale represents artists from a total of twelve different European countries, including Great Britain, France, Germany, Austria, Spain and Italy.

VICTORIAN ART

In the Conservatory (Rivals) by James Jacques Joseph Tissot, which hails from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, is a tour-de-force of the artist’s skill (illustrated page 1; estimate: $2,500,000-3,500,000). Gifted to the Museum by the esteemed collector Mrs. Jayne Wrightsman, this painting showcases, through an impeccably detailed execution, the splendors of wealth that were available in the 1870s this comedy of manners is set against the backdrop of afternoon tea in a lush conservatory. Tissot, a French-born Anglophile, settled in England in 1871 and Rivals was likely aimed toward appealing to the new generation of collectors. A classic example of Tissot’s “storytelling,” the Victorian work incorporates a plethora of gestures, expressions, and interactions between the subjects, but the plot is kept vague. This deliberate ambiguity keeps viewers imagining what has just happened. Also popular among Victorian audiences were grand scenes of England’s historical past. Edmund Blair Leighton’s A Call to Arms (To Arms!) is an iconic representation of the universal themes of Arthurian legend (illustrated left; estimate: $400,000-600,000). This work depicts a young knight and his new bride leaving the church where they have just been married, only to be interrupted by another knight in full armor who has come to tell the groom that he is needed for war. An impressive five feet tall, To Arms reveals Leighton’s skill as an accomplished draftsman and is one of the artist’s sixty-six paintings to have been exhibited at the Royal Academy over a span of forty-two years.

FRENCH ACADEMIC ART

Elizabeth Jane Gardner Bouguereau also sought to evoke emotion in her viewers through the painting Moses in the Bulrushes (illustrated right; estimate: $250,000-350,000). Born in New Hampshire, Elizabeth Gardner traveled to Europe in the 1860s to study art, eventually settling in Paris. It was here that she would study with several of the leading artists of the time, including William Bouguereau, whom she would later marry. She also began one of the longest Salon careers in history while in Paris, lasting forty-six years, from 1868 to 1914. Moses in the Bulrushes was Gardner’s entry in the Salon of 1878 and addresses a theme from religion that was traditionally considered too grand and monumental for a female artist. The moment she chose to depict was from the Old Testament, when the Pharaoh’s daughter discovers the newborn Moses in a basket in the Nile; her handmaiden peeks through the bulrushes to ensure they are not seen. The personal and intimate feeling of the work is what differentiates Gardner’s work from that of her husband, to whom she is often compared. This entry would help cement her place in the male-dominated world of Academic painting.

ORIENTALIST ART

Among the strong selections of Orientalist Art will be On the Steps of the Mosque, Constantinople by Alberto Pasini (illustrated right; estimate: $100,000-150,000). Italian-born, Pasini spent much of his time in France. In an 1855 French expedition to the Near-East, he encountered Orientalism, the style that would have a profound impact on his art. Pasini’s realistic painting depicts different social types brought together by the common bonds of trade and religion. Another highlight is Benjamin Constant’s An Afternoon Idyll, circa 1855, a scene of a late afternoon with a storm brewing in the distance (illustrated page 4; estimate: $150,000-250,000). Constant captured intense light effects and environmental richness by juxtaposing the darkening skies against the bright seas and costumes of the young women.

BARBIZON SCHOOL OF ART

Among the Barbizon highlights of the sale is La mare aux vaches à la tombée du jour by Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, which has been in the same private collection for nearly thirty years (illustrated left; estimate: $180,000-220,000). This atmospheric landscape represents the artist’s meditations on nature and was never intended to portray specific moments in time or place. It was this approach, so exquisitely executed in this painting, which earned Corot the reputation as a “poet of landscape,” rather than a “painter” of it. Despite its openness to interpretation, Corot’s skill in perfectly capturing his surroundings is remarkable, as the work portrays the moment of crepuscule, when the land is bathed in half-light and the sky still retains the beauty, light, and color of the already-set sun.

WORKS OF ART FROM RENOWNED INSTITUTIONS

The October sale of 19th Century European Art will include several works of art from renowned institutions. Twelve pieces from the Toledo Museum of Art will be sold to benefit the Acquisitions Fund, including Félix Ziem’s Embarquement devant la bibliothèque Marciana, a lovely Venetian cityscape, which has been in the museum’s collection for 91 years (illustrated right; estimate: $60,000-80,000). Also included are works by artists such as Henri-Joseph Harpignies, Jozef Israëls, and Joseph Bail, among others. In addition to Tissot’s Rivals, two other works from the Metropolitan Museum of Art will be sold, as well – François Vernay’s Still-Life with Fruit (estimate: $8,000-10,000) and Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot’s Deux Bateliers en Rivière (illustrated page 4; estimate: $120,000-180,000).

Auction Preview: Sotheby's 19th Century European Art NYC, November 8, 2013

October 12, 2013, 9:50 pm

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Pascal Adolphe Jean Dagnan-Bouveret (French, 1852-1929) Hamlet et les fossoyeurs, 1884 oil on canvas 40 X 33 1/2 in.

The catalog for the upcoming auction of 19th Century European Art, featuring nearly ninety paintings and sculptures, is now online at the Sotheby's website.  Highlights of the sale include works by William Adolphe Bouguereau, Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema, John William Godward, Jean-Léon Gérôme, Pascal Adolphe Jean Dagnan-Bouveret, and a recently rediscovered painting by Joaquín Sorolla.  

Prior to the actual day of the sale, all lots in the auction will be available for preview at Sotheby's New York City location at the corner of 72nd Street and York Avenue.  As always, these viewings are free, and open to the public.

• PREVIEW TIMES

• Friday, November 1            |     10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
• Saturday, November 2        |     10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
• Sunday, November 3          |     1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
• Monday, November 4         |    10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
• Tuesday, November 5         |    10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
• Wednesday, November 6    |     10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
• Thursday, November 7        |    10:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Dagnan-Bouveret (detail)

William Adolphe Bouguereau (French, 1825-1905) Blessures d'amour, 1897 oil on canvas 75 1/2 X 45 in.

William Adolphe Bouguereau (French, 1825-1905) Portrait of a Man, 1850 oil on canvas 18 1/8 X 15 in.

William Adolphe Bouguereau (French, 1825-1905) Il s'enfuit à tire d'ailes, 1855 pencil on paper 17 1/4 X 14 1/4 in.

William Adolphe Bouguereau (French, 1825-1905) Tendres propos oil on canvas 12 3/4 X 8 1/2 in.

William Adolphe Bouguereau (French, 1825-1905) Joueur de flûte, 1878 oil on canvas 16 X 13 in.

William Adolphe Bouguereau (French, 1825-1905) Souvenir, 1894 oil on canvas 28 X 20 in.

Albert Ritzberger (German, 1853-1915) At the Fountain, 1895 oil on canvas 44 X 31 in.

Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema (British, 1836-1912) The Benediction oil on panel 21 1/2 X 5 1/8 in.

John William Godward (British, 1861-1922) Clymene, 1892 oil on canvas 9 3/4 X 6 3/4 in.

John William Godward (British, 1861-1922) Dolce Far Niente, 1906 oil on canvas 14 1/4 X 29 in.

Sir Alfred James Munnings (British, 1878-1959) Kempton Park Stables oil on panel 14 X 28 in.

Jean-Léon Gérôme (French, 1824-1904) Diane et Actéon oil on canvas 25 1/4 X 39 1/4 in.

Peder Mønsted (Danish, 1859-1941) Heather-covered Hills by the Lakes Near Silkeborg, 1907 oil on canvas 48 X 79 1/2 in.

Emilio Sánchez-Perrier (Spanish, 1855-1907) Boating Along a Quiet River, Acala, 1886 oil on panel 13 7/8 X 8 3/4 in.

Emilio Sánchez-Perrier (Spanish, 1855-1907) Washerwomen at the Edge of the River, Guillena oil on panel 9 X 18 1/2 in.

Charles Courtney Curran (American, 1861-1942) Summer, 1906 oil on canvas 24 X 36 1/4 in.

Léon-Augustin Lhermitte (French, 1844-1925) Laveuses à mezy oil on canvas 20 X 29 3/4 in.

Julien Dupré (French, 1851-1910) A Milkmaid with Her Cows at Pasture oil on canvas 21 1/2 X 25 3/4 in.

Daniel Ridgway Knight (Ameican, 1839-1924) Normandy Girl Sitting in a Garden oil on canvas 32 X 25 7/8 in.

Daniel Ridgway Knight (Ameican, 1839-1924) On the Terrace at Rolleboise oil on canvas 32 X 26 in.

Frederic, Lord Leighton (British, 1830-1896) The Star of Bethlehem oil on canvas 61 X 23 3/4 in.

Jean-Léon Gérôme (French, 1824-1904) Allegory of Night, 1859 oil on canvas 89 3/4 in. diameter

Jean-Léon Gérôme (French, 1824-1904) Atelier de Tanagra oil on canvas 25 3/8 X 35 7/8 in.

Frederick Arthur Bridgman (American, 1847-1928) The Procession of the Bull Apis, 1879 oil on canvas 40 X 70 in.

Edwin Lord Weeks (American, 1849-1903) The Pearl Mosque, Agra oil on canvas 20 1/4 X 30 1/8 in.

Edwin Lord Weeks (American, 1849-1903) Persian Café - The Pottery Selleroil on canvas 20 1/8 X 24 1/4 in.

Alexandre Cabanel (French, 1823-1889) Rebecca et Eliézer, 1883 oil on canvas 22 1/2 X 37 3/4 in.

Peder Mønsted (Danish, 1859-1941) A View of Anacapri, 1888 oil on canvas 26 X 48 in.

Jehan Georges Vibert (French, 1840-1902) The Peeping Roofers and the Woman's Bath watercolor and gouache on paper 14 5/8 X 22 3/4 in. (top) 21 1/4 X 29 7/8 in. (bottom)

Jehan Georges Vibert (French, 1840-1902) Tough Medicine oil on canvas 14 X 11 in.

Alfred Stevens (Belgian, 1823-1906) Femme au balcon oil on canvas 16 1/8 X 11 in.

François Bonvin (French, 1817-1887) Femme tricotant, 1881 oil on canvas 20 3/4 X 15 1/2 in.

René-François-Xavier Prinet (French, 1861-1946) Salon de famille oil on canvas 38 X 30 7/8 in.

Eugen Von Blaas (Austrian, 1843-1931) The Love Letter oil on canvas 33 3/8 X 27 in.

Franz Dvorak (Czech, 1862-1912 or 1927) Mystic Roses, 1911 oil on canvas 50 3/8 X 60 1/4 in.

Joaquìn Sorolla y Bastida (Spanish, 1863-1923) Buscando Mariscos, Playa de Valencia, 1907 oil o canvas 23 3/4 X 37 3/8 in.

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Auction Preview: Bonham's European Art NYC, November 6, 2013

October 13, 2013, 5:35 pm

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Philip de László (Hungarian, 1869-1937) A Portrait of Mrs. Frederick L. Pratt, née Miss Jeannie Williams, 1928 oil on canvas 52 1/2 X 37 in.

If you happen to be in New York City between November 2nd and the 6th (perhaps you may be there attending previews of the 19th Century European Art sale at Sotheby's), consider stopping in at Bonham's salesroom on Madison Avenue to see the preview of their upcoming auction of European Paintings.  Nearly 200 lots will be on view, with dates of creation spanning from the 16th to the late 19th centuries.  Among the highlights in the sale are portraits by Philip de László and Gustave Jean Jacquet (each, surprisingly, estimated to fetch under $10,000), and landscapes by Emilio Sanchez Perrier and Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot.

AUCTION VIEWINGS - 580 Madison Avenue, New York City

• November 2          12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
• November 3          12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
• November 4          10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
• November 5          10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
• November 6          10:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Viewings of this sale will also be held in San Francisco from October 18th through the 20th.  Consult Bonham's website for more information.

Gustave Jean Jacquet (French, 1846-1909) A Portrait of a Lady in Pink oil on canvas 32 X 25 3/4 in.

Albert Lynch (Peruvian, 1851-1912) Reverie oil on canvas 25 3/4 X 20 3/4 in.

James Archer (British, 1823-1904) A Portrait of Miss Rose Fenwick as a Child, 1877 oil on canvas 69 X 44 1/2 in.

Sir John Lavery (1856-1941) A Lady in White (A Portrait of Lady Lyle), 1895 oil on canvas 50 1/4 X 40 1/2 in.

Jules Girardet (French, 1856-1938) A Garden Flirtation oil on canvas 32 X 25 3/4 in.

Ferdinand Victor Léon Roybet (French, 1840-1920) A Cavalier oil on panel 24 X 14 3/4 in.

Frederik Hendrik Kaemmerer (Dutch, 1839-1902) At the Market oil on canvas 23 1/2 X 13 3/4 in.

Gyula Tornai (Hungarian, 1861-1928) The Holy Cleansing of the Samurai oil on canvas 45 1/4 X 35 in.

Alphonse Mucha (Czech, 1860-1939) L'Empereur Lothaire et le pape Innocent, 1891 grey wash on paper 15 3/8 X 11 1/4 in.

Alexander Max Koester (German, 1864-1932) Ducks Resting in the Evening Sun oil on canvas 31 1/2 in. diameter

Alexander Max Koester (German, 1864-1932) Heimwärts - Enten auf einem Teich oil on canvas 23 3/4 X 36 1/4 in.

William R.C. Watson (British, 1866-1921) Highland Sheep, 1881 oil on canvas 24 X 36 in.

Emilio Sanchez Perrier (Spanish, 1855-1907) A Tranquil River with a View of a town, possibly Seville oil on panel 8 3/4 X 13 3/4 in.

Alfred de Bréanski Snr. (British, 1852-1928) The Snowdon Valley, Wales oil on canvas 20 X 30 in.

Attilio Pratella (Italian, 1856-1949) Fishing Boats in the Bay of Naples gouache and pastel on heavy card 10 3/4 X 17 3/4 in.

Richard Crafton Green (British, c. 1848-1934) Along the Ligurian Coast, 1880 oil on canvas 34 1/2 X 54 in.

Hugo Ungewitter (German, born 1869) Hunting on the Steppesoil on canvas 33 3/4 X 47 1/2 in.

Edouard de Jans (Belgian, 1855-1919) The Reception of Quentin Metsys into the Guild of St. Luke of Antwerp in 1520 oil on canvas 30 3/4 X 34 3/4 in.

Petrus van Schendel (Belgian, 1806-1870) Soirée de feux de Bengale au Vaux-Hall, Parc de Bruxelles oil on canvas 27 3/16 X 39 in.

Testing the Tinting Strength of Paint

October 14, 2013, 9:20 pm

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Occasionally, I have found myself wanting to test the tinting power of certain paints in my drawer.  This usually happens after I purchase the less expensive brand of a color I have wanted, and find the need to kick myself for not spending the extra money upfront for the higher quality paint.  Watching a color disappear when added to a pile of white is extremely frustrating - to the wallet as well as the mind.

As Frederic Taubes stated in his 1943 book, Studio Secrets, "Generally, the best colors have the greatest tinting strength, whereas cheap colors are deficient in this respect."¹  His suggestion for evaluating the power of paints is to employ a simple tool to mix equal quantities of different brands of a single color, with equal quantities of white, and then compare the results.  The instrument, as pictured below, is just a small metal plate or wooden board, ⅛ to ¼ inch thick, with two small openings, about the size of penny, cut through the panel.  Using this tool, equal volumes of white and the color to be tested can be made.  Just fill each side with paint, level it with a palette knife, then lift the panel and mix the two discs together.  Do this again for each brand, and hopefully, the results will clearly show which paint is the best (i.e. has the greatest pigment strength).

Frederic Taubes' drawing of his paint measuring device

When I considered testing the power of paints in my possession, I decided to start with Prussian Blue, an ancient and highly staining color which is a regular part of my palette. Normally I use a Prussian Blue made by Winsor & Newton, but when I got my hands on Rublev Prussian Blue from Natural Pigments, a company which eschews fillers and stabilizers in its paints, I was curious to see how the two compared.

Originally, I made a tool like that suggested by Taubes out of a piece of ⅛ thick hardboard, but later decided to modify the design to suit the pigment Prussian Blue, which at equal volume might be expected to quite overpower the white.  Instead of two equal-sized openings, I made an instrument with two holes of vastly different sizes (the ratio of the sizes is not pertinent, as long as the same tool is used for each brand of paint).

Taubes' tool worked pretty well, though the Rublev paint did not drop through the opening as well as the Winsor & Newton paint had done (I had to scrape the Rublev paint from the hole with my palette knife).  I chose to use Titanium white because of its opacity (and because it is much cheaper than my lead white).

I placed the tool flat on my palette and filled the smaller hole with Winsor & Newton's Prussian Blue, and the larger with Titanium White.  I then cleaned the plate, and repeated the process with the Rublev Prussian Blue.  Afterward, I mixed the two pairs of piles together, and then compared the outcomes.

Knowing which paint has the greater tinting strength is important to me because it affects my future purchases:  a more highly concentrated pigment is of greater value, and will go further in mixtures on my palette.

Here are the two mixtures in comparison to an Xrite ColorChecker.  Winsor & Newton is on top;  Rublev on the bottom.

Rublev is darker in value because of its higher pigment concentration.

Winsor & Newton Prussian Blue lists for $11.99 for a 37 ml tube ($.32 per ml).

Natural Pigments' Rublev Prussian Blue lists for $14.95 for a 50 ml tube ($.30 per ml).

I converted my picture to black and white and compared the results to the Munsell Scale from The Classical Lab app "Grayscale Converter." The Winsor & Newton Prussian Blue tint was approximately a 7 on the scale, while the Rublev was a full step darker.

¹ Taubes, Frederic, Studio Secrets, (Watson-Guptill Publications, Inc., New York, 1943), p. 79.

Studio Secrets on Amazon.com.

Prussian Blue at Natural Pigments.

Grayscale Converter at The Classical Lab.

Auction Preview: Fine American and European Paintings, Shannon's Fine Art Auctioneers, CT

October 18, 2013, 8:11 pm

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Raimundo de Madrazo y Garreta (Spanish 1841-1920) A Young Beauty at Her Vanity oil on canvas 32 X 26 1/2 in.

Currently on view at Shannon's Fine Art Auctioneers in Milford, Connecticut, are lots from the upcoming Fine American and European Paintings, Prints and Sculpture sale.  Under such a broad subject, there are many different movements and motifs represented in the 300 items up for bid, including some very nice works, like the Madrazo above, and some more unusual items such as the antique easel pictured below.

Shannon's Fine Art Auctioneers is located at 354 Woodmont Road in Milford, CT.  The auction of Fine American and European Paintings, Prints and Sculpture is scheduled for 6 PM on October 24th.  For more information, or to see the sale catalog online, please visit the auction house's website.

PREVIEW SCHEDULE

October 14 - 19 Monday through Saturday  11 AM - 6 PM

October 20 -  Sunday Closed

October 21 - Monday 11 AM - 6 PM

October 22 - Tuesday  11 AM - 6 PM

October 23 - Wednesday 12 PM - 7 PM

October 24 - Thursday 12 PM - 5:30 PM

Victor Coleman Anderson (American 1882-1937) Moonshine oil on canvas 25 X 30 in.

John Koch (American 1909-1978) Christmas Tree oil on canvas 36 X 30 in.

T.M. Nicholas (American b. 1963) Monday Morning Essex oil on canvas 30 X 40 in.

Ernest Albert (American 1857-1946) Snowy Winter Stream oil on canvas 26 X 28 in.

Ernest Albert (American 1857-1946) Stream in a Winter Landscape oil on canvas 36 X 40 in.

John J. Inglis (American/Irish 1867-1947) Frozen Snow Banks Flowing oil on canvas 40 X 54 in.

Emile Albert Gruppe (American 1896-1978) Frozen Gloucester Harbor, Smith Cove oil on canvas 30 X 36 in.

Emile Albert Gruppe (American 1896-1978) Gloucester Morning oil on canvas 30 X 36 in.

Emile Albert Gruppe (American 1896-1978) Bright Day in Gloucester Harbor oil on canvas 25 X 30 in.

Louis Emile Adan (French 1839-1937) Girl with Loaves of Bread oil on canvas 36 X 25 1/2 in.

Georges François Laugee (French 1853-1937) Shepherdess with Lamb oil on canvas 31 1/2 X 25 in.

John Francis Murphy (American 1853-1921) Sunflowers oil on canvas 16 X 12 in.

Dale Ter Bush (American b. 1948) How Pure of Heart My Valley oil on canvas 12 X 16 in.

Charles Courtney Curran (American 1861-1942) View Over Ellenville, New York oil on canvas 18 X 24 in.

Charles Courtney Curran (American 1861-1942) Faraway Thoughts oil on canvas 22 X 18 in.

Julius LeBlanc Stewart (American 1855-1919) Portrait of Marie Renard oil on panel 9 X 6 in.

Charles Sprague Pearce (American 1851-1914) Portrait of a Woman oil on canvas 18 X 15 in.

Edward August Bell (American 1862-1953) Playing Her Guitar oil on panel 18 X 12 in.

Glyn Warren Philpot (British 1884-1937) Elegant Woman in Blue oil on canvas 54 X 40 in.

Alexander Levy (American 1881-1947) Woman in Black Kimono oil on canvas 32 X 24 in.

Biao Zhong (Chinese b. 1968) Girl with Fan oil on canvas 31 X 39 in.

William M. Hart (American 1823-1894) The Old Row Boat oil on canvas 11 3/4 X 20 in.

Ralph E. Oberg (American b. 1950) The Rites of Fall oil on canvas 20 X 24 in.

Wilson Henry Irvine (American 1869-1936) Late Autumn oil on canvas 25 X 30 in.

Dwight William Tryon (American 1849-1925) Early Morning in Autumn oil on board 14 X 20 in.

  

Harold von Schmidt (American 1893-1982) The Indians Leaped Up and Stood in Surprise oil on canvas 16 X 40 in.

Vittorio Rignano (Italian 1860-1916) The Performers oil on canvas 22 1/4 X 27 1/4 in.

American Oak Artist's Working Easel (19th/20th Century) 31 X 30 in. base, 147 in. height maximum

Sneak Peek: Takahiro Hara at Arcadia Contemporary, NYC

October 21, 2013, 7:40 pm

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Takahiro Hara Bed and Clouds 40 X 29 in.

Later this month, Arcadia Contemporary will be hosting the highly-anticipated American debut of the talented painter, Takahiro Hara.  Born in Fukuyama in 1971 and now residing in Kanazawa, Hara is unquestionably Japanese in being, but at heart, he seems to be very much a Spanish artist.  His training, which culminated in studying in Madrid with the legendary Antonio López, imbued in Hara the unending search for what he calls "pureness" (American Art Collector # 96, October 2013) :

"Pureness equals the the spirit of the painting," says Hara.  "Spanish artists talk about the 'unique language' of a painting and this really hits the point in the meaning of pureness through the eyes of the artist as well as the unified method of transmission, including the texture of the painting and the space that is brought together through the original style of the artist."¹

López taught Hara to, "look at things and search from the inside" for his own colors and forms.  By following this advice, Hara has been able to pursue his own vision, and to create realism through the pursuit of this 'pureness,' rather than through a dogmatic copying of his subject.  "I believe it is not necessary to draw precisely to create realism," says Hara.  "One cannot put into a photograph pureness."²

Takahiro Hara's American premiere at Arcadia Contemporary opens October 30th, and runs through November 20th.  The gallery is located at 51 Greene Street, between Grand and Broome Streets. It is open from 10am to 6pm Monday through Friday, and from 11am until 6pm weekends.  For more information, please visit Arcadia's website.

Mirror and Notes 40 X 32 in.

Reading with Dog 40 X 26 in.

The Bathrobe 40 X 26 in.

To the Skies 40 X 26 in.

The Window 40 X 26 in.

The Room with Sky 40 X 26 in.

The Box 40 X 29 in.

Within 40 X 26 in.

Woman Reclining in Grey 26 X 36 in.

Letters 40 X 26 in.

Lucia Tumbada 25 X 37 in.

Reading 29 X 46 in.

In the Bathtub 26 X 40 in.

Painter and Model 32 X 40 in.

¹ Takahiro Hara : Pureness, "American Art Collector," #96, October 2013, (Vincent W. Miller, Publisher, Scottsdale), p. 110.

² idem.

Enlarging a Drawing & Squaring Off

October 23, 2013, 8:30 pm

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Adrian Scott Stokes (British, 1854-1935) Autumn in the Mountains tempera on canvas 31 1/2 X 42 in.

The other day, I grabbed the book Practical Landscape Painting by Adrian Stokes from my shelf, and as I leafed through it, I was struck by two things:  1.  artists used to go through a lot of string, and 2. Stokes was right:  what a student may or may not know should never be taken for granted.  Though this information from Stokes on the enlarging of working surfaces and the gridding-up of sketches is rather basic, perhaps it is still good to record the information here, nonetheless.

Here is what Stokes had to say:

When the necessary sketches and studies have been painted, and the drawings in black and white, from nature, have also been done, the proportions of the canvas, on which the picture is to be painted, must be decided.  These may be determined by making a careful drawing of the composition of the subject on a paper of moderate size, a large margin being left all round to allow extension of the drawing in any direction.  No pains should be spared in the attempt to make this drawing represent as accurately as possible the final combination of all that has been learnt about the subject. 

When the drawing is done, and either the length, or the height, of the canvas has been decided on, a simple plan for finding the other dimension is as follows :  Lay the drawing on a rectangular table, with two sides of it coinciding with those of the table, and then draw a diagonal line with a thread, from corner to corner, and prolong it.

Any two lines, such as those marked with dots in Fig. 2, drawn parallel to the sides of the drawing, which meet at the thread, inclose a space having the same proportions as those of the drawing.  For example, if the canvas has the length of A to B, a perpendicular line drawn from B meets the thread at C, and a line parallel to AB that meets the perpendicular line at D, gives the required length of AD. A "rule of three" sum will, of course, easily solve the problem, but as it does not show the actual dimensions, it is not so effective.

My readers will, I hope, excuse me if I seem to under-rate their intelligence ;  my excuse is that I have met with quite advanced students who were ignorant of any means for enlarging work, in due proportions.

The process known as squaring "off" comes next.  It consists of dividing drawing, and canvas, into an equal number of similar small spaces, and copying what is in each.  The simplest plan is to divide both sides of the drawing, and canvas, into two equal parts, to divide those again, and again.  If the drawing is very elaborate, many "squares" will be needed ;  if it is simple, fewer will suffice. 

Pins put into the points thus marked, and black cotton drawn horizontally, and vertically, on both drawing and canvas, will define the relative spaces on each.

When that which is in each space has been copied, either with charcoal or in paint, and the threads are removed, the first stage of the work will be found to be satisfactory and correct. 

But the satisfaction then felt is, unfortunately, generally destined to be short-lived.  Difficulties will soon be encountered, which evoke feelings from hope to despair ;  complete satisfaction rarely comes again.

Jean-Léon Gérôme (French, 1824-1904) Pelt Merchant of Cairo, 1869 (detail) Once a drawing and the canvas have been gridded, corresponding squares can be further segmented into smaller shapes where detail is most important.

In my own work, I have used what Stokes refers to as "squaring off," but I have never used his suggestion of finding a proportionally larger working surface by plotting along a line through a shared diagonal.  However, I frequently use what Stokes calls the "rule of three," in which, having the two dimensions of the sketch and one of the dimensions of the final canvas, the missing dimension can be determined.  

If the sketch (a rectangle) has a width w₁ and a length l₁, there is a corresponding second rectangle with a width w₂ and length l₂ such that the ratio of w₁ to l₁ is equal to the ratio of w₂ to l₂ (when the two ratios are equal, the rectangles are then proportional).  

 w₁        w₂

––––  =  ––––

  l₁           l₂

w₁ x l₂ = w₂ x l₁

When three of these values are known, the fourth can be determined through cross multiplication.  For example, if your sketch is 6" X 8" and you know that you want your final canvas to be 40" in the longer direction, you can use the "rule of three" to solve for the remaining measurement.

6              x

–––     =    –––

 8             40

6 X 40 = 8x

240 = 8x

240 ÷ 8 =  x

x = 30

I find this process most useful when choosing a final image size based not on the size of the boundaries of my sketch, but on the size of an important element in my sketch.   So if the most important aspect of my composition is the main figure's head, and that head is ⅝" tall in a 3½" tall sketch, and I would like the head to be 5" tall in my finish, then the height of my final canvas would be:

⅝           5
–––   =   –––
3½          x


0.625x = 3½ X 5

0.625x = 17.5

x = 17.5 ÷ 0.625

x = 28

With this value, and the dimensions of my sketch, I could then solve for the width of the final canvas.

Studio Tools:  Dürer's Grid
Mancini's Graticola

Stokes, Adrian, Practical Landscape Painting, (Seeley, Service & Co. Limited, London, 1956), pp. 106-108.