Wednesday, March 24, 2010

more following the masters


Copy of Raphael's St. Catherine of Alexandria (5x7)
This is the other painting I selected for the Following the Masters challenge; what first attracted me to it was the gesture, her contrapposto. As I copied it I was struck by the opulence of her drapery and all the colors I could see in it the more I looked.
I had to wash out and repaint the eye several times: I got the upward-looking gesture but, in the original, something in the whites of her eyes makes me think of terror; perhaps Raphael meant to suggest she could foresee her martyrdom?

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8 comments:

Peggy Montano & Paintings said...

Love all of the colors that you used. wonderful painting.

Autumn Leaves said...

This is breathtaking, Laura. I love the fact that you are making these pieces your own with the watercolors. Gorgeous work! You should be proud of yourself; I am quite proud of you!

RH Carpenter said...

I liked the previous challenge painting you did, but this...this I LOVE! Your colors just make me smile. This one should be matted and framed, definitely!

Gillian Mowbray said...

This is so very striking - great use of colour in your brushwork. x

A Brush with Color said...

Oh, somehow I missed this one, Laura. I am loving your masters series. Really lovely! Great idea to practice that. I agree that you're totally making these your own, too.

Sherry Pierce Thurner said...

This is charming as well, a fresh look at a Renaissance
saint. It captures the graceful pose, flowing drapery, and bright color that make these paintings so appealing.

Anne C M Campbell said...

This is so beautiful with exceptional colour work!

Nicki said...

I love both your entries... especially the vibrant colours in this one. And thanks for stopping by my blog!