"Byzantine Church Interior"Gouache on Watercolour Paper - 13" x 13"
Saturday, 6 August 2011
History of Art Challenge Blog - July
Well, being a week late for my submission to The History of Art Challenge Blog is not too bad considering I chose a very difficult visual to paint. Why I do this I don't know. Well I do - it's because I fall in love with a photograph, or object or scene, and just want to render it myself or maybe pay some sort of homage to it. I love Byzantine Art and the one thing that shouts out for me from this period, is the use of gold and icons. However, gold is very difficult to portray and I struggled here with the massive gold doors, but managed, in the end, to replicate some of the mystery of the colour. The photograph was sent to me by a friend who found it on the internet, and I cannot find it anywhere so I cannot give it proper attribution even though I would love to. This is an interior of an Eastern Orthodox church, and judging from the interior, it would be very late Byzantine indeed, but the remnants of that long era are still present with the abundance of icons and gold. Very mysterious these churches, but totally enigmatic eye candy for this artist.
"Byzantine Church Interior"
"Byzantine Church Interior"
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8 comments:
You sure did capture the gold! On my piece, I used a gorgeous gold paint that came with a calligraphy kit I purchased. On my blog, you sure can't tell it is gold. You've nailed this! As I mentioned, it reminds me a bit of the Frescoes of Pompeii with the gorgeous colors, but that over the top richness of the period's churches is amazing and you've done this so exquisitely!
Awwww, thank you so much Sherry. Gold is ultra difficult but I intend to get to grips with rendering it accurately in my paintings some time soon. Your challenge blog really pulls it out of me and I'm now off to think about the Celts, Vikings and Saxons. :-)
Wow, what an intricate subject. I would never attempt something like that. Kudos to you.
Thanks Charlotte - yes, this was a biggie for me and I think I would do more with more time.
this is a fabulous painting!
Thanks so much Mary and for stopping by my blog!
It's a masterpiece, sincerely! Tight and loose, very impressive, and beautiful, and inspiring!
Jean-Baptiste - thank you so much for your generous comment! I truly appreciate you stopping by my blog. :-)
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