Phony Tronie - Page 2

John Zeissig · 10-30-2002, 12:40 AM

Mike

Here's the little guy in the background. If you can't identify this joker then either you flunk Art History 101, or I flunk the elementary painting skills test. But, really, it's about his hat. Kind of goofy, isn't it? I'm hoping this comes out about the same size on your screen that it is in the painting, 2 1/2" x 5" +-.

Cynthia Daniel · 10-30-2002, 02:55 AM

John,

It's not too dark on my monitor. I can see it fine.

Mike McCarty · 10-30-2002, 10:27 AM

John,

I just flunked. What I see here is just what I saw in the painting. If I strain I can barely make out a face on my left, I cannot find a hat; it's too dark. I usually don't have a problem. Maybe you can find another to comment.

Cynthia Daniel · 10-30-2002, 10:38 AM

Mike,

Have you tried adjusting the lightness/darkness on your monitor itself? If you go to one of Virgil Elliott's sites, there's a gray scale there and you should be able to see each of the gradations. http://virgilelliott.com

John Zeissig · 10-30-2002, 04:52 PM

Hi Mike and Cynthia,

I could see this all right on my monitor last night, and it looks fairly good on my monitor here at my day job. Mike, maybe you should try removing your sunglasses.

Seriously, the painting within the painting is pretty dark, both in my version and in the reproduction that I copied it from, but it's still readable on my equipment. It's a copy/adaptation of a portion of a 17th century Dutch old master painting, hence my joke about flunking Art History 101. I was hoping that someone would recognize it without too much prompting. Oh well, here are a couple more clues: Think Delft. Also the figure in question has been rumored to be the only extant self-portrait of the artist in question. Of course if you can't see it none of this will help.

Does anyone who can see it know where it comes from? Do I have to offer prize money?

Peter Jochems · 10-30-2002, 06:03 PM

I know who it is! ...But first I want to know the prize money, of course

Peter

Mike McCarty · 10-30-2002, 06:05 PM

John,

After a monitor tweaking, I believe it is Vermeer. Pretty darn clever you are, nice job.

John Zeissig · 10-30-2002, 07:09 PM

Peter,

I'm sure you knew the answer! Is this remarkable picture from the belfry in Delft yours?

http://essentialvermeer.20m.com/delf...eiuwe_kerk.htm

Nice going Mike. I'm glad you didn't hold out for the prize money too, or one of you guys would have wound up skinning me.

Yes, it's lifted from Vermeer's "Procuress".

When I was researching Vermeer last winter it struck me that most of his paintings containing hats kind of strained my credulity. Both the gentlemen in "Procuress" are pushing the envelope of belivability. For another exercise try to determine where the true top of the head is in "Girl With A Flute" and "Girl With The Red Hat". Little did I know that I was destined to have hat headaches of my own with this painting!

Peter Jochems · 10-31-2002, 07:40 AM

Hi John,

In January 2002 I went to Delft to take the pictures. It took 5 or six photographs to compose this one. It is taken from the 'Nieuwe Kerk' (The church which is bathing in light, on the right, in Vermeer's View of Delft. The dutch royal family gets buried here) I placed some numbers on the picture:

1- It's a bit outside the picture, but about here stood Vermeer's studio where he painted most of his paintings.

2- This is where the Inn of his father stood 'Mechelen', Vermeer's lived here during his childhood.

3- Here Vermeer was buried, and still there is a little tomb, it's only a stone with inscription.

4- from this direction the 'View of Delft' was painted.

5- This is the town-hall of Delft.

Greetings,
Peter

Peter Jochems · 10-31-2002, 09:58 AM

I posted my other pictures of Delft here:

http://forum.portraitartist.com/show...&threadid=1598