Friday, January 18, 2008

JUST IMAGINE

I look at this beautiful work of art and try to imagine the technical expertise required to complete and my mind reels.

To create the paint, mixing the pigments. Getting the perspective right. The lights and shadows. Oh and those beautiful expressive facial features.

How many weeks, months did this take? How many hours a day? Until I picked up a paintbrush and seriously tried to create eyes, I had no appreciation for this kind of beauty. Oh my, I am in awe.

3 comments:

blueVicar said...

She is beautiful...

We were fortunate enough to be able to visit the museum where this painting is housed in Den Haag. We had just seen the movie, The Girl with the Pearl Earring, and our daughter was enthralled to get off the train, walk to the museum, and see the painting.

The irony? That the same movie was showing in that town too!!

Meilleurs voeux!!

Linda said...

Have you read the book? It is fascinating how he mixes his paints-what a lot of work it was. Isn't his use of light fabulous? I just love it.

Unknown said...

Hi Paula, coincidentally I saw the film based on the book "Girl with a Pearl Earring" just recently. Highly recommend it, there are scenes contained within the film that are just like paintings, with astonishingly beautiful light contrasts and shadows. I love this painting too :)