Orlando
This is a series of small oil paintings and sketches related by theme, subject matter and style. As sketches they exist as the primary ideas for larger works. In the history of painting oil sketches played an important role in the development of larger canvases and their importance historically as works of art was often secondary to the final canvas. However, the appeal of the oil sketch is that it is often more immediate, personal, expressive and more abstract than the final and finished work.
These oil sketches are done in the same manner and spirit of historical oil sketches by which I mean they are studies for larger and more finished compositions. However, my primary interest is in the sketches themselves and not in larger paintings that may develop from them. Some of these may become larger works, but that is not necessary for me. However, paradoxically, they would not qualify or be interesting to me as sketches if they did not have the potential for enlargement and if I did not paint them with this possibility always in mind.
The reason I choose to do this series of sketches is because most of my figurative work tends to be quite large with figure over life size. This large scale seems natural to me and I have a long experience with it. However, in this case I wanted to focus on a small scale but keep the heroic feeling that I think my large paintings often have. A different scale requires a different language. I wanted to enhance the rough, energetic and summary brushstrokes of a sketch, which are inherent in an oil sketch but often, do not translate to large canvases.
Many of these sketches are based on literary sources, but usually in the most general way. Some come from no literary subject at all. Even though they may suggest dramatic images of conflict and tragedy, the subject matter remain unclear. These works are meant to express a certain mood, style and poetic feeling. This is what they share between them more than a subject.
The initial inspiration often came from such epic poems Orlando Furioso by Ariosto and Jerusalem Delivered by Tasso.
These two Italian Renaissance epic poems appealed to me for probably odd and perverse reasons. Firstly, I was familiar with their subjects and characters having often seen them in Baroque paintings, but I was not very familiar with the story because these works are not now commonly known. They had the fascination of the unknown for me. These poems contain heroic drama, adventure, romance, wars of religion and magic, which give them great scope for painting and expression. The fact that these epics were popular in the 17th and 18th century and conversely unpopular now, appealed to me because of the improbability that it would be appreciated today.
More specifically it was the paintings and frescos of Giambattisa Tiepolo, which were based on the poem, especially at Villa Valmarana, that captured my interest.
However, these sketches are not directly or exclusively connected with these epic poems. My sketches have been inspired by a whole history of similar works of literature and paintings. I selected Orlando as a unifying title and little more.
Fundamentally, I wanted to make a series of small, energetic paintings with rich color and texture. I wanted them figurative but magical. They needed to have the definition and responsibilities of an oil sketch without the need to lead any further. Paradoxically, I must say that even though I described the poetic sources and why I choose them, they are of little significance to the final work. I have described elsewhere that I often use literary sources or myths to begin the process of painting, but usually abandon it as the paint takes shape. I want to free the painting from too much or perhaps any literary reading.
General Introduction to the Large Canvases
Beginning 2010 I painted a series 15 large canvases of approximately 200 x 200 cm along with related smaller oil studies, watercolors, drawings and etchings. These large canvases are related by both scale and treatment as well as content and theme. The content is that of monumental figures, usually over life-size and nude, set in dense, highly colored backgrounds containing many still-life elements. The treatment is observational and painterly. The themes are indirectly derived from mythology and literature and usually layered with symbolism and allegory.
My intention was to make contemporary paintings in what used to be referred to as the Grand Manner or historical paintings. Paintings inspired by Titian, Veronese and Rubens. This naturally accounts for the scale of my canvases as well as the color and compositions. Painters closer in time and more contemporary in technique which I value are Delacroix, Manet, and Corinth. These last had an impact on the surface treatment of my paintings. I wanted paintings with the weight of history and tradition behind them.
Each of these paintings has as its theme a mythological or literary origin. I try, however, to use obscure or lest well-known sources when possible and to suppress the references so as not to let the paintings seem to have a narrative. I wish the paintings to communicate aesthetically on a more abstract or intuitive level.
This series of paintings begins with bacchanalia subjects. Inspired by paintings by Titian, Bellini and Rubens among others, it contains all the elements I wished to develop. I wanted to create similar canvases with rich and sensuous content and power. Deep, full color with dense compositions and still-life elements are used to support the dominate nude figures. To this I use a loaded brush with visible and energetic brushstrokes. This approach I tried to maintain throughout the other paintings, while at the same time changing and developing the subjects and themes. The last paintings in this series return to this original theme with the subject of maenads.
For the next four paintings in the series, I looked to Celtic mythology and the Grail traditions. The image and symbol of a sacred Celtic severed head appear in these paintings along with the equally potent images of the head of Orpheus. These heads traditionally represent forces of healing and poetry.
I next returned to Classical mythology in two painting based on Elektra. The sources in this case are the myths, drama and opera. These are followed by the traditional Renaissance subject of The Annunciation but with a classical Orphic interpretation. The symbol of the disembodied head continues in these paintings.
The final three paintings were intended to represent in general images of Maenads in a bacchic trance or bacchanalia as the paintings in the beginning of this series. However, I wanted to introduce a more classic Renaissance structure to the compositions. This caused one painting to develop during the process of painting into the subject of Artemis with attendants. In another the Maenads due to their setting and poses appeared more like Sibyls than Bacchantes.
Much of the ideas and subjects in these paintings develop and change during the process of painting and never follow a definite plan. This is the proper development and life of a painting. There are many deviations and variants in the themes and subject, but they still maintain a unity of spirit, content and expression.