Frank Duveneck (1848 – 1919)

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Frank Duveneck

Following on from Tai-Shan Schierenberg and his compelling brush work is another master and virtuoso with the brush Frank Duveneck who was a celebrated American artist in his day but has now dropped into obscurity.

Venetian Fruit Market

This study of heads and hands done in 1879 is now in the Cincinnati Art Museum the city were he taught.

The following details illustrates his brushwork well, we can see how he painted across the form rather than with it as I tend to do.

Also worth noting is his use of saturated and desaturated colours.

Most of his paintings tended to be low key with a close value range.

Keeping it simple and not fussing is one lesson from these paintings.

Although he could do the more refined painting popular during his time.

Girl with Rake

Tai-Shan Schierenberg.

Another contemporary portrait painter I admire is Tai-Shan Schierenberg who’s work I first saw in the National Portrait Gallery London.

Seamus Heaney 2004

This Portrait of Seamus Heaney the poet gives the impression of being large, although it is only about three foot square, it’s absolutely stunning in life, something that really does not come over well in a photo. The brushwork is very bold and distinctive, using very large brushes. The smallest brush used is about a half inch wide and that is only used for painting in the eyes. The brush used on the jacket is an inch and a half wide, all the brushwork is very decisive using thick paint with a stroke layed and left alone. The shifts in colour and value are very subtle, see how he has indicated the glasses by painting the eyes below the glass with lighter and desaturated colour.

Here is closeups from a self portrait.

Self portrait detail 2003

The Emigre 2003

Tai-Shan Schierenberg went to art collage in the 1980's and found himself swimming against the prevailing current of the time, but soon established himself by wining first prize in the 1989 BP Portrait Award.
He has also won the 2011 Ondaatje Prize for Portraiture.
He is now an Hon Member of the Royal Society of Portrait painters.
Important Sitters include, Her Majesty the Queen, His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh, John Mortimer, Seamus Heaney, Lord Sainsbury, Lord Carrington, Duke of Devonshire, Duchess of Westminster and Professor Stephen Hawking.

Stephen Hawking

Natalia Phillips Duchess of Westminster