The Wall of Pain

Rob Howard, "Wall of Pain," plaster and fabric

Years ago, one of my teachers, Rob Howard, devised a fiendish way for his students to learn to draw folds in clothing. He made a wall of full-sized plaster models showing each of the kinds of folds that can be found in clothing, then required students to draw them accurately.

Leonardo daVinci, "Drapery study for a seated figure

As we did, and as anyone who draws or paints a human figure will soon discover, accurate rendering of folds can be torture. A study by daVinci provides a good example of a number of the types of folds that can be seen, as well as why they can be difficult to do realistically.

The Wall of Pain, as Rob called it, featured diaper folds, pipe folds, spirals, half-locks, drops, and zig zag folds in plaster. Students were admonished to master each kind and spend time drawing and painting each, as studies. The end result, he promised, would be added facility in figure drawing and painting. In subsequent years of practice based on various sources, folds in fabric became less mysterious.

My interest in drapery and folds in clothing grew in succeeding years as did my file of sketches and studies. The Wall of Pain didn't actually figure into those except as a challenging memory. Instead, I used sources from daVinci (above) and other masters aw well as material from illustrators like Albert Dorne and Norman Rockwell. Several of the best examples came from one of the books of the Famous Artists School, which both were involved in. Nevertheless the Wall of Pain stayed in my memory as a goad to improving my work.

Diaper folds, digital sketch

One of the basic ways fabric tends to drape is in diaper folds. Diaper folds are made when a fabric is draped between two or more fixed points. In the Wall example above and the digital sketch (right), the drapery is reminiscent of a hammock. Two examples on the left of the Wall feature diaper folds. In the digital sketch, it is easy to visualize a figure holding a towel or other cloth.

Drop folds, graphite study

Another sort of folds are called drop folds, which happen when a fabric hangs down or cascades from a support, like a shoulder or chair back, onto a surface. Imagine a towel draped over a bench, for example, and flowing onto the floor. This graphite example of drop folds was done from a photo reference, but later practice involved life drawings of similar arrangements. For me it was critical to spend time sketching as many differing examples of each of these conformations in differing weights of cloth (note the weight of the drapes in the daVinci drawing) because it trains the mind and adds to what some have called a visual vocabulary.

A similar kind of folds to drop folds are pipe folds, which are a result of a cloth hanging from a single support. Pipe folds have a columnar look--like pipes. In "Towel on a peg (pipe folds)," the relatively thin cloth hangs straight down, resulting in cylindrical folds. In the Wall of Pain pure pipe folds aren't seen, but there are a number of examples of such in several spots.

Complex folds, graphite study

There are many times when clothes fall into combinations rather than simple folds. In this graphite study I tossed a dish towel over a thin piece of plywood and sketched the result in graphite and chalk. Here the purpose was to work directly from the subject, the challenge being to make the viewer see the weight using a chiaroscuro technique. The folded cloth was arranged in raking light.

Knee and elbow studies (half locks), graphite

When drawing a full length figure it's important to understand the kinds of folding you will see on clothing (unless of course you're doing nudes). A good example in the Wall is in the lower right corner, where fabric was arranged over a cylinder and then plastered, representing, perhaps, an arm. The kinds of folds seen in sleeves and in trouser legs are similar at various levels of the limb. At the knee and elbow, half lock folds are common. Half locks occur when the fabric makes a deep pocket in the fold, as seen in Wall example. My own study of knees and elbows shows half lock folds as well. The elbow study shows a man's arm from behind in a typical suit coat, which the knee study explores half lock folds from the front.

Spiral fold study

Spiral folds are commonly seen in sleeves, and less commonly in trouser legs. A spiral may only be a single turn, but often two are three are present. In the graphite study of a sleeve there appear to be three or four. Spiral folds can be seen in shirts or blouses too.

Another very common folding configuration is the zig zag fold, seen often at the cuff end of trousers. Think of how jeans and boots look these days and you have a good idea of what zig zag folds are like, with the material buckling into folds going opposite directions. There were no "pure" zig zag folds in the Wall of Pain, but the study of a jeans leg posted here gives a fair idea of what they are like.

For me, understanding of the ways that fabrics bunch, fold, drop and puddle was fundamental to being able to draw more accurately. Rob Howard's Wall of Pain was one of the ways that the complicated subject began to gel in my work. And like so much, study and practice on the basics was crucial.

Study of a jeans leg (zig zag folds), graphite

The Great Outdoors

Hoff, "Out Back," oil on panel, 9x12

The urge to sketch and paint outside seems to be spreading. Outdoor sketch groups exist everywhere, it seems. Certainly sketch groups exist in most of the big towns and cities in this country, and I suspect in other ones too. Online organizations of sketchers are thriving and so are plein air magazines and websites. Many artists are dedicated to working outdoors. Professional painters have worked outdoors since at least the beginning of the 19th century, of course, and often in groups. Monet painted with Boudin when he was learning and with many others--Degas, Bazille--as a professional.

Amateurs have probably always painted outdoors too, though wealth and leisure to do so were obvious requirements. Upper class Victorian ladies made watercolors indoors or out, often spending an afternoon picnicking and painting outdoors. Many ladies of that era were accomplished outdoor sketchers, even Queen Victoria herself. Today many dedicated amateurs are taking to the outdoors, in groups or singly.

Hoff, "Blue Spruce," oil on panel, 9x12

Some artists prefer the solitude of painting alone, close to nature, or love the intense observation required, or they go alone because they don't like distractions. Since acquiring my new pochade box, outdoor painting has become my primary activity. The work is more convenient with my lightweight setup. Painting outdoors forces me to deal with whatever is before me and respond. In a way you could compare painting outdoors to doing primary research--you're looking at the thing itself. (In secondary research you study a representation of the thing, whether mathematical or otherwise.) And if you work honestly you put down what is there not what you think is present. That last is the hard bit for many--dropping all assumptions.

Hoff, "Downstream," oil on panel, 8x10

Of course, one's purpose in doing a particular outdoor oil or watercolor sketch is important. If it's intended as a completed work and not a study the painter has latitude for interpretation. "Blue Spruce," for example, was to be a stand alone work; I intentionally pushed the color of the evergreen to a higher value to emphasize it, though in real life the color was rather dull, and isolated it in one corner of the composition. On the other hand, the sketch "Out Back" was a true study of sunlight on tree trunks and limbs, so I worked hard to be faithful to the source. The oil paint is the same, the motif is the same, but the intent completely different. With "Downstream," my first intention was simply to study water in a rocky stream, but as it progressed it became a stand alone painting.

Hoff, "Near the Marina," wc/ink, 5x9

Lately I've been going out with a group of dedicated painters here in Des Moines. We meet on Saturday afternoon and spend an hour or two sketching as a group. While we go to the same location, the results are quite different since each member of the group picks her or his own subject. We've gone to a number of different spots--a river marina, the bank of the Raccoon River (nearby), local parks, and sometimes residential streets. It is always a treat to hang out with like-minded people, particularly while painting, since most of my practice has been solitary. Afterward we gather at a local cafe for show and tell. Most of us work in watercolor, some in pretty large formats, but a few use oils. The time limit is about two hours. The watercolor here was done on the spot in one of my sketchbooks, which is still my go-to method for speed, convenience and portability.

Hoff, "Raccoon Bend," oil on panel, 8x10

If someone longs to go out and sketch, I say go for it. Don't worry about being watched, people are generally polite and interested. Don't be shy. Rudeness or incivility are rare, admiration common. Most important is the chance to face the subject in "real time" and not as a photo or video or memory.

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Links
Outdoor Painters Society
Outdoor Painter
Art in the Open

Fair Finale 2019

The Iowa State Fair ended last Sunday, but my last day sketching there was Saturday. Although Sunday was on the agenda, a downpour in the morning and heat and crowds in the afternoon ended my visits prematurely. The Fair had another record number of visitors--nearly 1.5 million in 11 days--and featured the usual array of fascinating exhibits, oddball food, nostalgia, and great opportunities for sketches.

"Restored Deere," wc/ink, about 3x5

The watercolor and ink sketch that is first in my smaller pocketbook is the one to the right. Every year in one of the exhibit halls a restored tractor is displayed, either in the midst of reassembly, or sometimes already put together. I sat and sketched this restored tractor while fiddlers kicked up a great line of melody onstage at the other end of the building. This particular model was over fifty years old, but looked new.

"Discovery Garden," wc/ink, 5x9

One of the fine spots to draw is in the Discovery Garden, a demonstration garden planned and manned by Master Gardeners. Happily, there are Adirondack chairs in the shade, so I nearly always spend some time there. This year there was enough time to do a watercolor of a part of the gardens. The Master Gardeners are an enormously helpful resource and as docents they provide innumerable people with advice. 

"Rooftops on the Grand Concourse," graphite and ink, 3.5x7

A few days later while indulging in one of my favorite activities of sitting on the deep, shady porch of the Administration Building and watching people go by, I drew and inked a panoramic view of the two food buildings just across the street (known as the Grand Concourse). Just beyond loomed the big Ferris wheel and other "thrill rides" on the re imagined midway. The day was fine and the crowds were small that morning.

"Yearling Rams," graphite, 4x5

On my last Saturday I spent some time in the sheep barn, watching judging. These animals are pampered and groomed and trained to become champions, and it shows in their poise, their beautiful lines, and their handling. Sketching moving animals requires careful observation and recording of what is seen, mostly after the animals have moved on. At least during the awarding of ribbons they stand still for a few more minutes. The exhibition I saw was a competition among yearling rams, and I had a chance to get three of them holding still at once.

"Jalapeno Pete's" wc/ink 3.5x5.5

Because the Grand Concourse provides the most people-watching, I often sketched there during this edition of the Fair. One of my favorite spots was Jalapeno Pete's, a food and beverage business with crazy bright colors and an upper deck. You can see a corner of the roof in the drawing of rooftops above. This time I did a small but colorful watercolor. Some of the graphite drawings in my sketchbook may come in for color washes, or sometimes I use computer programs to work them up further and leave the originals pristine. Regardless, these sketches provide great information for future works.

Overall, this was another fine year at the Iowa State Fair. Besides the drawings and watercolors shown I did a number of others during trips to the fairgrounds. And although sketching one's interests can lead to larger studio paintings, I also took the opportunity to shoot a lot of reference pictures. This fall and winter they will be fodder for the work.

For sketchers, why not try your own fair? I'm going back to mine next year.

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2019 Fair Posts
A Great State Fair
A Fair Friday

A Fair Friday

The Iowa State Fair lasts eleven days and spans two weekends, and although the booths and rides and major displays--the butter cow, the Big Bull, the Big Boar, and all of those things--don't change, the animals being judged and shown change gradually from day to day. So there is always something interesting happening in the show arenas, from strength competitions among draft animals to sulkies hitched to miniature horses, to (yes) sheep-riding kindergartners.

"The Grandstand, 2019," watercolor and ink, 5x9

Today was one of my routine days at the Fair. There is no point in driving when you can ride, so I parked and took the bus--only fifty cents round trip--caught the free tram on the fairgrounds and rode around to my favorite food concession. Breakfast was the usual too. Then I did a 5x9 watercolor of a clock on the Grand Concourse, just across from the venerable Grandstand. The clock shows the time when I began, and I finished just under an hour later, in time for the ten a.m. singing of the national anthem. The view is the eastern corner of the Grandstand, behind a big food and beer business called Steer N Stein. At that time of day the air is cool and fresh and the crowd has yet to develop. There is plenty of room for observation and sketching.

From there I went up Pioneer Hill to the remnants of the farmstead that predated the fairgrounds. There is an old restored barn there at the top of the hill that was built in the 19th century. The view of the grounds below is wonderful, so I spent an hour or so sketching and painting from there.

Afterward I meandered down to the new horse arena where showing and announcement of champion percheron and clydesdale horses

"Clydesdale Champ," graphite 3x5

was in progress. The clydesdales that are used by a beer distributor are enormous, and so are these show animals. The grand champion was so tall its owner's head was at its shoulder. These horses were originally bred as sturdy draft animals, and these are certainly that. You could imagine these horses pulling stranded armored vehicles out of the mud.

After making several pages of sketches, it was time to call it a day, knowing I'd be back a few more times, and there's likely be lots more chances to sketch.

The opportunities for close observation and sketching are endless during an event like the Fair.

A Great State Fair

The Iowa State Fair has come again in Des Moines, and I've had the chance to sketch some of the happenings, as last year. The Fair is the largest single attended event in Iowa, with over a million visitors every year, and so far this year is set to exceed previous records. Friends have come from as far away as Virginia and Seattle this year, just to attend the Fair.

Yesterday was pleasant and sunny, high temperature only about 80, and low humidity. I spent an hour sipping coffee and sketching the Master Gardeners' Discovery Garden, on the fairgrounds. It's a lovely quiet spot for a morning's sketch. After that I wandered through the Agriculture Building next door, then outside again and encountered one of the signature offerings at the Fair: the Iowa Pork Producers' famous pork chop on a stick. After eating one of their specialties, I spent a second hour sketching the booth. 

"The Discovery Garden," watercolor and ink, 5.5x9.5

"Pork Chop on a Stick," watercolor and ink, 5.5x9.5

Our fair was the basis for a novel by a native Iowan named Phil Stong who had ample opportunities to attend the Iowa State Fair during his youth. The novel was adapted into a Broadway musical and one movie; later further adapted for a movie in the 1960s.

Sketching at the Fair is a great chance for studies of animals--everything from pigs to alpacas and emus to elk are there. Horses, goats, chickens, rabbits, cattle, too. Anyone who wants to sketch animals will be happy there, and so will people sketchers.

I'm going back two or three more times and will post a few more plein air watercolors.

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2018 State Fair Posts
The Iowa State Fair
Friday at the Fair
Saturday at the Fair
An Evening at the Fair
State Fair Finale

Portraits

There was a time when portraiture was considered near the top of the hierarchy of painting, second only to history painting. History painting, of course, has effectively faded, leaving portrait painting as the highest level, if one believes in such things. Of course these days painting really hasn't the kind of stratification that was the rule in earlier centuries.

Velazquez, "Pope Innocent X" 1650

Portraiture has retained a special place in painting because painted portraits are not only a potential family heirloom but also because a painted likeness is a declaration of status. A portrait is a status symbol because of the time, care, and training required to make one. Painting an individual's portrait is a difficult task, fraught as it is not only with making the painted image resemble the sitter but also making it match the complexion and hair color and show a readable expression. The greatest portraitists--Holbein, Hals, Velazquez, Sargent, among many--capture something of the ineffable that defines the individual. Think of Velazquez' depiction of the cold lip of his master Felipe IV of Spain, or the wary mask of brutality in the face of Pope Innocent X, for example. For me, a great portrait captures the likeness of the person and of the personality.

Masters of the portrait, painters like Anders Zorn, Lucian Freud, James Whistler, and Thomas Eakins have followed their earlier examples by searching deeper than a likeness. Although psychological penetration is the ultimate accomplishment in my own view, many patrons simply want a good likeness of themselves. Famously, Pope Innocent X (whose image is above) wad distressed by his portrait by Velazquez and ordered it taken away because it was "too real." Perhaps it simply showed too much personality.

"Bill," oil on canvas, 2010

In my own practice, portraits have been important but most of my output has been personal rather than commissioned. Doing one's own work instead of pleasing a customer allows a wider range of exploration without worry. A commissioned portrait is often confined by the painter to surface representation, which is not entirely a bad thing. But for me, exploration and investigation of new or different ways of seeing are more important.

In the majority of my personal work, I dispense with background. Traditional portraits often include backgrounds and settings that give the viewer information about the sitter. In these paintings the information about the sitter is intended to be shown by expression and lighting. My hope is that the viewer can speculate about the subject's personality and demeanor, for example. Also,

"Brad," oil on panel, 2009

many portraits are more formal whereas these personal ones are more casual--no dark suits and not much jewelry. The idea, of course, is to focus on the faces and the subtle nuances that show something of the person.

Master of the past did the same thing, in a way. They painted casual portraits, and sometimes simply used a model to paint a person who resembled a type of individual or sometimes a person who was known to the local community.

Frans Hals, "Verdonck," oil on canvas, 1638

A particular example of such a painter is Franz Hals, who painted tronies, types of people, like"Verdonck," (which is the name of the man depicted) showing a disputatious individual brandishing a jawbone (suggesting he attacked everyone). Hals is also known for others such as "Malle Babbe" (Crazy Babbe), a representation of a mentally disturbed woman. Probably all tronies were representations of living people rather than imagined ones.

Although the personal portraits I've done are casual, they're done from life in multiple sittings. Seeing a person many times offers many opportunities to observe carefully and paint accurately, refining as one goes along. For me the portrait sittings are as much about personality as they are about likeness. The image becomes richer for the interactions with the sitters.

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Similar Posts
Tronies
Portraits and Selfies

The New Box

Back in May I went to a plein air workshop with Garin Baker, an American master and a good friend, and posted a bit about it at the time. Part of Garin's workshop was devoted to his assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of available outdoor painting outfits. He spent time going through the various kinds of equipment and gave his recommendations. My personal experiences painting outdoors had been limited to a French easel, though I knew about pochade boxes, as I posted a few weeks back. What had been missing for me was a discussion of pros and cons from a respected outdoor painter like Garin. His insights and experience plus my own bias to travel light led me to buy a new box.

At the workshop, I "made do" with an old box from years ago, a simple wooden sans support, which was all that would fit in my luggage. By the end of the three days it became obvious that I'd made a poor choice. The box wasn't too heavy and definitely not very sturdy. On the final windy day my panel came loose, flew back, hit me in the face and knocked off my cap. Luckily a fellow painter retrieved the cap before it went into the Hudson, where we were painting.

Garin Baker demonstrating using an Open Box M

Clearly a more stable, easily used sketch box would be my next art purchase. My inclination is always to travel light, but with the caveat to use sturdy equipment. In Garin's estimation Open Box M provides just what he needs, and seemed perfect for me too. These sketch boxes are lightweight but strong. Mated with a good tripod they're very stable, too. There are other pochade boxes of course, but this brand has stood the test of thirty years to become widely used. These unique boxes can only be obtained from the maker by ordering online and require several weeks before delivery since each is still handmade.

As with almost all pochade boxes, light weight means less space for storage. My box is the 11x14 model, which is effectively simply a folding palette with enough space under the closed lid to accommodate small lumps of oil paint. No storage at all. My setup comes as a kit, with the box, a wet panel carrier (very handy), and a bag with a shoulder strap. I loaded the palette, put a couple of light panels in the carrier, threw a covered turp cup and a tiny bottle of turpentine into the front pocket. All that weighs less than my old French easel when it was empty. And after all what's the point of hauling paint tubes around? Leave them in the car if you have to bring them. I did put my tripod, a roll of paper towel, a water bottle and my iPad into another canvas bag, but even so didn't manage to exceed the weight of a full French easel. And the tablet could easy stay home since my smartphone is a camera too.

Open Box M showing panel mounting system

As of this writing I've managed three outdoor sessions with my box. So far it has been a definite pleasure. It is easy to carry, easy to set up. There is a spot on the bottom to screw on a quick release plate for a tripod, making it easy to put together and take down. The Open Box M has a lid system that opens to hold a panel or canvas. There are two prongs that clamp tightly onto the painting and make the box very stable, even in wind. The panel is held with a spring mechanism strong enough and adaptable enough to accept panels or stretched canvases nearly twenty inches wide. Of course, height isn't an issue.

As mentioned, I've been out with this new setup and tripod three times at this writing. Not far away is what at first seems an anomaly--an Asian garden--where I spent around four hours painting the centerpiece,  a classic Chinese pavilion. The park is named for a former governor of Iowa whose attitudes and policies promoted international understanding and a special relationship with China. The Asian garden is along the Des Moines River, across from downtown. There are temple dogs guarding the pavilion at each end and white stone walkways. It sets over a waterfall on the riverbank, a peaceful spot that attracts walkers and sightseers but isn't very busy on weekday mornings. This is the result, "The Chinese Pavilion," 12x16, oil on panel.

The Chinese Pavilion, oil on panel, 12x16

Teachers, Mentors, Friends

Roberts Howard, "Double Self Portrait," oil

Many of us have fondness for those who gave us our starts, our teachers and mentors, and immense gratitude too. I certainly do.

Not ago we got word that Rob Howard has died after a long illness. Rob was well known in artist circles, especially for his online presence years ago on the old CompuServe Artists Forum and later on his stand alone Cennini Forum. In the early days of online communications among artists--aspiring, emerging, and professional--he provided thousands with counsel, instruction, and bracing honesty about art, aesthetics, art materials, and art techniques. He feuded with some and provided succor to others. He was opinionated but a listener, full of facts but never boring.

Roberts Howard, "Shantung," oil

Rob was an immensely talented professional painter in oil and gouache. His art career was mostly in illustration--book covers and so on--but he also produced sensitive portraits and dazzling figurative works.

Despite a prickly reputation Rob privately gave encouragement and support to many. He shepherded a number of people into professional careers and provided instruction online and in person to many who simply sought to learn to paint. For those folks he was gentle, and full of wisdom.

Roberts Howard, "The Bride," oil

In my own case Rob's forum gave me a place to post works to learn from and receive comments, a place to discuss art, and a place to hang out with others like me. His concise and clear discussions of everything from basic art materials to methods for glazing oils (among many others) were better than many a college lecture. His workshops were compact marvels of instruction and experiential learning. And through his forum and workshops came many enduring friendships.

Rob Howard was the quintessential mentor. I am proud he was my friend.

Favorite Artists 9- Rembrandt

Rembrandt van Rijn, "Self Portrait with Beret," 1659

When I first encountered the 17th century Dutch painters, as a very young man, the work looked gloomy and entirely too uniformly dark and brown to suit my unschooled eyes. In those years if I visited an art museum anywhere I gave the Dutch school a wide birth. Too dark. Too cramped. Too solemn and entirely too serious. Like many my feet turned quickly to the Impressionist galleries and to traditional realism in the form of painters like Thomas Eakins, Winslow Homer, Edward Hopper or Andrew Wyeth, if any of their works were in the museum's collection. But eventually my vision matured and I began to see beyond any perceived darkness to appreciate the genius in the paint.

Although other Dutch painters of that same time period are equally famous and I appreciate many of them (Hals, Vermeer, e.g.), Rembrandt Harmenzoon van Rijn (1606-1669) is a painter whose intelligence, study, ability, and curiosity make him one of my perennial favorites. He was bright, industrious and persevering through a life filled with tragedy yet all the while produced an enduring body of work.

Rembrandt van Rijn, "Judith at the Banquet of Holofernes," 1634

He was born in Leiden into a well-off merchant family and educated as an apprentice in several artists' studios. One of them was Pieter Lastman who had been to Italy and is said to have been significantly influenced by Caravaggio. Lastman seems to have passed Caravaggio's use of tenebrism as a pictorial device along, since Rembrandt employs the method commonly in his mature works and yet never left the Netherlands. By 1625 at only nineteen he opened his own studio in Leiden and began training students a couple of years later. Before he was thirty Rembrandt was in Amsterdam and quite successful as a portraitist. He soon married and became a member of the local guild of painters, a settled and prosperous man. From that point in his life you would expect Rembrandt to have been a continued success. Saskia, his wife, modeled for him and can be seen in a number of works like "Judith at the Banquet," (above). But tragedy came soon with the deaths of several children and the death of his wife, Saskia, after only six years of marriage.

Rembrandt seems to have lived beyond his means for much of his life, so that he eventually died almost penniless, but for the immediate future as a widower he maintained his large house and studio with a woman hired to care for his only son Titus. She in turn eventually won a suit against him for breach of promise, further adding to his expenses. He eventually entered an intimate relationship with Hendrickje Stoffels, who was much younger and had been his maid. They did not marry, but had a child, resulting her denunciation by the church. Before much longer, Rembrandt was forced to sell nearly all of his belongings, including his house, to settle debts and avoid bankruptcy. The Amsterdam painters guild enacted a rule preventing anyone in Rembrandt's circumstances from trading as a painter. During the 1660s Hendrickje died, then Titus. Rembrandt himself outlived them by only a year.

"Danae," 1636

Regardless of his tragic life, the works themselves live on for all of us. Here are a few more. "Danae," another early painting. Saskia was the model for this work of classic mythology as well. Danae greets Zeus as he comes to her bed. This painting is in the Hermitage in St. Petersburg. Thirty years ago it was attacked with acid by an insane man and (it was thought) almost completely destroyed. Extensive restoration has produced the work now hanging.

"Woman Bathing," 1654

Another favorite of mine dates to nearly twenty years later. "Woman Bathing" (right) was modelled by Rembrandt's common-law wife Hendrickje. In this very personal image we watch a woman who seemingly doesn't notice us as she steps into her bath. This painting seems less finished than other works and may have been a study, since the brushwork is spontaneous and broad. Regardless, the difference between the two figures is obvious. As he aged, Rembrandt's palette became more muted and his brushwork and edges loose and masterly--an example much like Velazquez' work.

"The Anatomy Lesson of Dr Nicolaes Tulp," 1632

Another particular favorite of mine is "The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Tulp," a fascinating early work commissioned by the Amsterdam surgeons guild. Dr. Tulp was the city anatomist and the only person legally allowed to perform dissections, and then only on executed criminals. Dr. Tulp explains the musculature of the arm to a group of spectators who had paid to attend. The composition and clarity are typical of Rembrandt's early works.

"The Carcass of Beef," 1655

Although many think of Rembrandt as a painter of portraits, which he certainly was, he made pictures of a wide range of subjects. An example of that wide range is Rembrandt's "Carcass of an Ox," dating from 1655. The painting depicts a butchered and flayed ox, it's head and internal organs removed. Although brutal, it is a real masterpiece. It's actual purpose may have been as a study in anatomy and the appearance of bones and musculature. Regardless, it takes a gruesome subject and turns it into a striking image.

Finally my favorite self portrait is the one Rembrandt completed in 1669, the year of his death. Only ten years after the self portrait (at a vigorous age 53) that opened this blog post, the selfie of 1669 shows Rembrandt an exhausted and puffy-faced old man. Only the face shows much finish--the hands and garments are relatively sketchy--but what a finish. You feel as if you could reach behind his head and pull his hair. The nose almost seems to project from the canvas. This is mastery of the highest level. If another painter had produced only this single work, he would be remembered forever.

Perhaps knowing the tragedy of Rembrandt's life adds to an understanding of his work and how it evolved. Certainly here is a master of masters.