applying a dark glaze over the toned ground . The opalescent effects of flesh in that painting were created by applying a lighter shade over a slightly darker layer . The glazes in Vermeer ’ s “ Christ in the House of Mary and Martha ” appeared like the very thing I had been doing .
“ All the paintings I admired , I only knew through color reproductions . There is a world of difference between a printed picture and a real painting .”
I found delightful the interplay of transparent and opaque color in a small watercolor of a lady in 17th-century dress by Richard Parkes Bonington . It became a signature style of my own oils and watercolors . As well , I discovered that the magic of Chardin realism is not trompe l ’ oeil , but depends upon a transposition of nature into an undeniably visible paint texture , built up in a complexity of layers . Further , Rubens ’ s “ Allegory of War and Peace ” displays brilliant economy of means in the wine-red glaze of the drapery of the nude Venus and opaque vermillion for the garment of Mars , the god of War , each with a single pigment .
“ Elements of Varnish Making ” ( 1990 ), oil on linen , 18 x 20 ”; Photo : Susan Dirk / Under the Light
“ Twilight Romance ” “ Great Expectations ” Another profound crisis arose in 1985 , the year of my second trip to Europe . The Taubes copal products were discontinued ! Now what ?
In his authoritative “ Artists Handbook of Materials and Techniques ,” Ralph Mayer gave a formula for a glazing medium that contained the soft resin dammar , used also as a picture varnish . He condemned copal varnish outright . Taubes , on the contrary , persuaded me that using a soft or spirit varnish resin in paint media presents the danger of attacking the paint when the varnish discolors ( which it does ).
Added to this , the subject of what kind of natural resin , if any , should be used in oil media was a matter of much debate with a not-so-friendly rivalry between Mayer and Taubes . The former pointedly condemned any use of copal varnish out of hand , while the latter maintained , rightly I believe , that any varnish used as a surface coating , dammar
“ A River Through the City ” ( 1995 ), oil on linen , 24 x 32 ”; Photo : Susan Dirk / Under the Light
for example , could not be incorporated in the media itself without weakening the integrity of the paint .
This dilemma brought me to a creative standstill . I further had to face that my technical understanding was shallow , mostly from artists ’ manuals . At this juncture I resolved to remedy that and get to the bottom of the controversy , embarking on a thorough exploration of the history , conservation , and scientific literature . This involved a great deal of communication by letter and telephone with professionals in these fields .
May | June 2023 13