‘A Taste of Art’ – AUCTION (‘The Figure’) & STUDIO (‘The Girl with the Scarf’) story …
'A Taste of Art' – AUCTION ('The Figure') & STUDIO ('The Girl with the Scarf') story …
In two previous blogs I touched upon how exiting it can be to buy art (AUCTION) and to make art (STUDIO).
To start this summer holiday, here's a story which combines these two experiences into one, … with a link to my 'Artistic Reflection Framework', as 'STORY' (or storytelling) is one important brain factor (under 'CONNECTION', at the 'CHANGE – EMOTIONAL BRAIN' matrix crossing). I will come back to this and other brain factors in future blog posts …
But now back to this experience ….
At a recent auction in Amsterdam I was able to purchase an oil painting I was quite fond of, a sculpture lit by candle light.
In addition and in parallel, I had been working on a painting idea for some time and recently finished it. For some time now, and after visiting Marrakesh in January this year, I got highly interested in the works of Orientalists (mid 19th – beginning 20th century). I have always had a fascination for the Arab world as I have lived in the Middle East for some years during my childhood. But reliving the atmosphere in Northern Africa and being re-influenced by this childhood memory ambience I was able to capture a night desert scene of a Maghreb girl looking at the fire place …
These are the two paintings.
Somehow these two works felt connected … In trying to capture the essence of these two paintings, I asked AI (CoPilot) to describe them in a storytelling way, emphasizing the importance of oil painting as an art form.
Here's the storytelling description of the artworks I shared:
The auction painting: "Still Life of Candle and Sculpture" (I call it 'The Figure') – by Willem Jansen (1892-1969)
"In the heart of a dimly lit chamber, a solitary figure emerged from the shadows—her form bathed in the molten gold of flickering lamplight. Draped behind her, crimson velvet cascaded like liquid fire, framing her luminous skin against the vast, infinite void of the darkened background. The figure was timeless—neither entirely flesh nor fully marble—a testament to the artist's power to freeze a moment where reality and illusion intertwine.
This painting, rendered in rich oil on canvas, is more than an image. It is an echo of the artist's breath, a slow meditation on light, shadow, and the eternal human form. The body of the woman—poised, contemplative—leans gently upon an ancient urn or pedestal, as though communing with the past. Her gaze, downcast and tender, evokes a whispered story: of vulnerability, of strength, of the fleeting nature of beauty.
The glowing amber hues of her skin were not born in a moment. Layer upon layer of translucent oils built this warmth, each stroke allowing the light to seep through, creating a depth that no other medium can match. The mastery of oil painting lies precisely here—in its alchemy. Unlike quick-drying acrylics or fragile watercolours, oils invite the artist into a dance of patience and precision. Days and weeks pass between layers, during which the image evolves, deepens, breathes.
Notice how the shadows in this painting are not mere absences of light but living spaces themselves. The velvety blacks and blood-red drapery pulse with an inner vitality, each fold rendered with loving attention. In oil, darkness is as powerful as light, for it gives the illuminated figure her stage, her mystery.
The setting evokes a narrative ripe with allegory. Is this a depiction of Venus emerging from her shell of marble? Or perhaps an artist's muse caught in the act of becoming real? The ambiguity invites the viewer in, encouraging us to construct our own myths. This is the magic of representational oil painting: it captures not just what is seen, but what is felt, imagined, remembered.
Look closer still. The textures—the smooth expanse of the woman's thigh, the rough stone beneath her, the velvety nap of the curtain—all rendered with the same devotion. In oil, texture is not illusion alone; it is tactility. The brush leaves whispers of the artist's presence, immortalized in pigment and oil.
This painting stands as a testament to the enduring power of oil painting to evoke wonder, to slow us down, to remind us of the deep and tactile pleasure of seeing. Through the dance of light and shadow, it whispers an ancient truth: art is not just to be seen—it is to be experienced, to be felt in the bones and in the soul."
I know, … it's a bit over the top, … like too much whipped cream on your ice cream, but you can take it …
Now for my own painting - "The Girl with the Scarf"
"In the hush of twilight, beneath a veil of shadow and memory, a young girl turns her gaze away from the world. Her expression is unreadable—poised somewhere between sorrow and strength. A crimson headscarf wraps around her dark hair like a protective flame, its folds rich and deep against the somber backdrop. The light catches only the edges of her face, the contour of her nose, the glimmer in her downcast eye. We lean in, searching for her story in the silence she holds.
The painting hums with restraint. There is no busy background, no ornamental detail to distract us—only this lone figure, emerging from darkness like an apparition of human resilience. It is an image forged in oil, and only in oil could such a haunting atmosphere be so fully realized.
Oil painting, as this piece shows, is a medium of patience and depth. The girl's luminous skin is not a single colour but a tapestry of subtle tones: ochres, siennas, and earthy shadows that blend beneath the surface. These layers were built slowly, allowing the artist to capture the mystery of light interacting with form. The deep reds of her scarf seem almost to pulse with life, achieved through transparent glazes that invite the eye to wander through its folds.
Oil allows this kind of emotional storytelling through its tactile richness. The brushstrokes in the girl's garment, loose and almost sketch-like in parts, contrast with the careful rendering of her face. This tension between control and freedom reflects the tension within the figure herself—a spirit caught between inner life and outer world.
Notice how the background recedes into near blackness, not painted flat but worked in subtle, mottled tones. This painterly void gives the girl space to exist, to breathe. It also isolates her emotionally; we sense her solitude and feel drawn to her inner world.
The importance of oil painting lies in this power to slow time. In a digital age of instant images, oil requires the artist to return again and again to the canvas, to live with the work as it unfolds. This time becomes embedded in the finished piece, which holds not just an image but an atmosphere—one that seeps into the viewer long after the first glance.
This painting is a testament to oil's capacity to evoke the invisible: mood, memory, emotion. Through the simple turn of a head and the glow of a single eye, we glimpse a whole human world. The viewer is invited to complete the story—to wonder who this girl is, what burdens she carries, what dreams flicker behind her gaze.
And this is where the magic of oil painting lives—not just in what it shows, but in what it leaves unsaid."
Yes, it kind of says what I also felt when painting it … there is a kind of shyness of her looking away from the observer that I wanted to put into it too, but without it being too obvious ..
I asked for a short comparison of the two works of art I shared:
Similarities
- Use
of Chiaroscuro:
Both paintings rely heavily on strong contrasts of light and shadow to create depth and mood. The figures emerge from dark backgrounds, giving each piece a sense of mystery and intimacy. - Emotional
Ambiguity:
Neither painting tells a direct narrative; instead, they invite viewers to interpret the emotion. The nude figure seems contemplative, the girl with the red scarf seems pensive or guarded. Both evoke an inner world rather than an external scene. - Oil Painting Strengths:
Both works showcase the strengths of oil paint—luminous skin tones, rich colour depth (reds in the scarf and drapery), and layered textures that give life to the subjects.
Differences
- Subject
& Tone:
The first painting is more classical—a nude study reminiscent of mythological or academic art. The second is more narrative and intimate, rooted in a cultural or everyday human moment (the headscarf and clothing suggest a specific identity). - Composition:
The first painting is vertical and dynamic—the figure stands, leaning into space, surrounded by dramatic drapery. The second is tighter and more enclosed—a close-up portrait with a more introspective feel. - Brushwork
& Surface:
The first painting uses more loose and gestural brushwork, especially in the background and fabric, creating an atmospheric effect. The second painting has a more controlled treatment of the figure's face and scarf, with expressive but clearer handling of detail. - Emotional
Impact:
The nude feels like an allegory or timeless figure; it is about form, light, and art itself. The girl in the scarf feels like an individual person, prompting empathy and curiosity about her personal story.
In short: both paintings explore light, emotion, and the human figure using the full potential of oil painting. But where one leans toward the universal and classical (The Figure), the other draws us into a singular, poignant human moment (The Girl with the Scarf).
I feel blessed, not only for enjoying these works of art, for being able to create it and for having access to technology that allows us to enjoy it even more …
Leuven, 28th June 2025
Related Influences: Ilya Repin: Master of emotionally charged portraits, often of ordinary people with haunting depth / Johannes Vermeer: Expert at using light and shadow to create intimate, almost private emotional moments / Anders Zorn: Brilliant with limited palettes, using warm skin tones and deep backgrounds—similar to the mood here / Nikolai Fechin: Known for combining expressive brushwork with intensely rendered focal points, as seen in this painting.