Sunday, January 10, 2010

Masterpieces from Paris - Albert Besnard

On Thursday evening, I went to my monthly art group get together. We each take something for dinner and whatever 'show and tell' we have. I sketched  Meredith who is doing a project which requires daily stitching. I loved the blue of her blouse, and the shape of her armchair - which she calls the Albatros (the whole lounge suite) because, despite its inconvenient size, she drags it round whenever she moves house.

The Masterpiece work that I chose to guide me in painting this piece is Albert Besnard's Portrait of Madame Roger Jourdain - for the colours - white, pink and blue with highlights of yellow. Working from just the sketch, on sand, gessoed board to prevent over-detailed working, I have managed to get a likeness and perhaps the quiet mood. The composition is not ideal - perhaps it would be better croppped but then I would lose the shape of the armchair. Although this sort of portrait is not really what I want to do, it has been a good exercise. The scanner does not deal well with the rough surface.

2 comments:

annie said...

These are great, Alison. Please keep more coming if time and your life permit. A wonderful Albatros--no wonder that Meredith moves the whole lounge suits with her.
annie

Jan Allsopp said...

Really lovely. Such a feeling of calm and gentle concentration. I am still wildly envious of you and your season pass. The good news is I will get to see the exhibition myself (for a couple of hours on a single day!) late this month.