Bouguereau

Timothy C. Tyler · 04-30-2003, 12:43 PM

I just enjoyed looking at some new (to me) Bouguereaus and a large Zorn at the Philbrook Museum. Bouguereau used lots of lovely nuetrals very nicely. I compare my hand color to the paintings as well as white (from a biz card) to the paintings "flesh colors"-very educational by the way. His glowing work is mostly less vibrant than real life color. This surprized me. He can then roll into intense color now and then to suggest light. His neutrals are often green/grey-what precisely he used I don't know and it doesn't matter really as so many raw umbers, blacks. etc in various combinations will get you there-these greens and greys responding to the surrounding stuff.

I did not see much varnish or glazing but rather well handled opaque paint with wonderful gentle blending and the latter (better) work was not very thick. I'd guess two or three layers over most areas of skin tones. I'd say the paint dried slowly to allow the blending wet-into wet without struggle or rush.

Morris Darby · 05-02-2003, 02:13 PM

I am completely slain by Bouguereau's work. I just finished a college paper on him and, among all the ever-present hype of modern art, the instructor was surprized to discover she had not seen much of his work. When the class saw the slides I presented, they were taken back with awe and confessed THAT was real art.

Also, I have only found a handful of artists that are familiar with Anders Zorn. I use his palette for almost all of my work and strive to accomplish his painterly style in my pieces.

It's nice to see someone who appreciates these two.

Timothy C. Tyler · 05-02-2003, 03:50 PM

I meant this thread to be a reply to Enzie - sorry.

Enzie Shahmiri · 05-02-2003, 05:42 PM

Dear Timothy,

Thanks for the reply. If this is in response to the ARC submission of the Juggler, I have to tell you, I took a look at it there (it is huge!!!) and the flesh tones are beautiful. Very much in Mr. B's style. I can't wait to have some free time where I can concentrate and see your handling of the subtle skin tones.

I also liked the way the sky was done, the texture was so different from the rest and I liked the overall effect it created.

Timothy C. Tyler · 05-02-2003, 06:41 PM

You are being very generous again - I'm all long time from being comfortable with such comparisons, but I was meaning to reply to the thread here in color about flesh tones and what I noted from the direct observations.

Morris Darby · 05-05-2003, 02:37 PM

OK....let's all start over.