King (after Holbein)
Pairing:
Portrait of Henry VIII by Hans Holbein
Photo of a sign at the Yankee Doodle Motel in Vermont
Acrylic on canvas
Dimensions: 40" x 48"
Artist's Insights:
Q. After painting Elizabeth I, you turned to her father, Henry VIII. Did this historical fact have any significance for you?
A. No. I was at a point where I was tightening up my work with much detail and the Holbein was a perfect choice for doing that. After the foreground was completed and I projected the motel image in the background, I saw the eagle resting on the king's hat. That did it for me. The pairing was a go. It was not until many months after the painting was completed that I noticed so many more of the repeated motifs among the various signs and the king's clothes. Many times, the structural rightness of a piece is accomplished without my being totally aware of it.
By the way, the Yankee Doodle Motel was on Route 7 in Shelburne, Vermont. We spent ten summers in Middlebury, Vermont and there was much for me to photograph along Route 7. This sign with all its detail was particularly attractive. Sadly, I recently learned that the motel is no longer in business.
Print options available.
Portrait of Henry VIII by Hans Holbein
Photo of a sign at the Yankee Doodle Motel in Vermont
Acrylic on canvas
Dimensions: 40" x 48"
Artist's Insights:
Q. After painting Elizabeth I, you turned to her father, Henry VIII. Did this historical fact have any significance for you?
A. No. I was at a point where I was tightening up my work with much detail and the Holbein was a perfect choice for doing that. After the foreground was completed and I projected the motel image in the background, I saw the eagle resting on the king's hat. That did it for me. The pairing was a go. It was not until many months after the painting was completed that I noticed so many more of the repeated motifs among the various signs and the king's clothes. Many times, the structural rightness of a piece is accomplished without my being totally aware of it.
By the way, the Yankee Doodle Motel was on Route 7 in Shelburne, Vermont. We spent ten summers in Middlebury, Vermont and there was much for me to photograph along Route 7. This sign with all its detail was particularly attractive. Sadly, I recently learned that the motel is no longer in business.
Print options available.