OLD MASTERS
When you work so closely with paintings, you get insights into the life and practice of the artist, that a studied look within a gallery may not confer. For instance the painting by Maerten Boelema De Stomme, Still Life with a Nautilus Cup has objects within it that can be seen in other paintings by Pieter Claesz, De Stommes contemporary and his master under whom he learnt his craft, Willem Claesz
Heda. I often wonder at the state of the fruit in De Stommes paintings. So much so that, I wonder if as a pupil De Stomme got the fruit for his still life as it is beginning to rot? Such fruit would of been expensive and taken a good while to get from Spain to Holland which was under Spanish rule at the time. It never ceases to amaze me how art is a window into our history and the lives of our ancestors, if you look closely enough.
Little insights like that can bring the works to life. If whilst working I find interesting hidden additions I will always try to reproduce them within the miniature.
If there is a particular painting that your interested in but isn't on Etsy; I am quite happy to recreate the painting for you, there will always be differences between two paintings that are effectively the 'same' it is hand painted over many hours and as such it will possess it's own character, not to mention I like to add little 'artistic' touches to all of my work, that will always make them different.
