after: ʻGOLCONDEʼ, René François Ghislain Magritte - 1953, The Menil Collection, Houston, United Sates of America.
after: ʻLE SOIR QUI TOMBEʼ, René François Ghislain Magritte - 1964, Private Collection.
René François Ghislain Magritte (1898-1967) was the most important Belgian painter of the last century. He was one of the leading Surrealists, a movement that placed emphasis on the critical and imaginative powers of the sub-conscious. In ʻGolcondeʼ and ʼLe soir qui tombeʼ, Magritte makes his images fun, incongruous, but misleadingly simplified. He wasnʼt afraid to show his viewers the falseness of artistic representation. All was not as it may appear to be.
see original
after: ʻLOUIS-FRANÇOIS BERTINʼ, Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres, - 1832, Louvre, Paris, France. Jean Auguste Dominique Ingresʼ (1780-1867) Neo-Classical paintings were highly representational. At a time when artists such as Delacroix and other romantics started to loosen up their painting techniques, Ingres remained faithful to the flawless, classical style. This portrait of Louis-François Bertin shows his technical skills; with a minimum of changes to the original sketch, Ingres gives Bertin a more fearsome appearance.
see original
after: ʻMANUEL OSORIOʼ, Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes - 1788, Metropolitan Museum, New York, United States of America. Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes (1746-1828), like his French colleague, was known for his portraits but with a revolutionary stance. He dared to simplify his paintings, revealing the brush marks and cross-hatchings. He turned against the smooth perfection achieved by the French and Spanish court painters, who always took care that their kings and queens looked beautiful. At the end of his life he painted horrifying scenes, expressing his disillusion in mankind.
see original
A special thanks to James Colman for his support, original ideas and help.