Einstein: Portrait in Renaissance Clothing

Oil on canvas, 18” x 24”, 1993 $6500

My admiration for this great man inspired me to paint this portrait. Here I have depicted Albert Einstein in Renaissance clothing, and as I see him – a true Renaissance man. In addition to the Nobel prize winning work in theoretical physics for which he is known, Einstein was also a brilliant concert violinist. Einstein actually claimed that the special theory of relativity came to him as he was playing the violin, in a vision of himself riding a beam of light through the Cosmos.

A great humanitarian, like Leonardo da Vinci, Einstein was also a vegetarian, and abhorred war and violence. He often spoke of his regret for what came of his contribution to nuclear physics, and was an advocate for universal nuclear disarmament. Einstein was a great supporter and believer in both the arts and the sciences, and I can imagine with his charming eccentricities and casual wit, he would have fit in seamlessly at the 15th court gatherings of Duke Sforza of Milan or the Medicis of Florence.

I chose to paint this in black and white to modernize and balance the Renaissance details, and in homage to the many iconic, black and white photographs that have popularized his image. I also chose to have him face fully straight on to the viewer, as this is a very modern pose, and because I feel it rightly reflects his direct and genuine gaze, in which he seems intent to impress his consciousness onto the mindset of the viewer. I have been told by some that as they stood before this portrait, they half expected him to start speaking to them, he seemed so fully present. I take that as a great compliment, and I hope that I have done justice in capturing his kindness, intelligence, and audacity.

Angel of Music

Oil on Masonite, 18” x 24”, 1995 SOLD

‘The Angel of Music’ brings solace and quietude to the grieving. In her glowing embrace all is healed, forgiven, and made whole. This painting was based on a statue in Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, France. Many great musical luminaries are interred in Père Lachaise: the composers Georges Bizet, Luigi Cherubini, Frédéric Chopin, Gioachino Rossini, as well as French Jazz pianist Michel Petrucciani, and singers as varied as Turkish/Kurdish singer and songwriter and political exile Ahmet Kaya, Italian opera singer Giulia Grisi, French opera singer Célestine Marié, the legendary American-born Greek opera singer Maria Callas, 20th Century French chanteuse Édith Piaf, and rock singer and poet Jim Morrison, among many other musical talents.

This painting was done in a negative/wipe-off technique, in cool colors, with warm tones glazed over later. I sought to achieve an effect similar to stained glass. I took inspiration for the hair and face of the angel from the 15th century Filippino Lippi painting, “Apparition of The Virgin to St Bernard”.

Lucifer: Dissention in Contemplation

Oil on canvas, 24” x 30”, 1995 $3000

This painting operates on many levels. It also evolved and took on more layers and details over time. It started off as more of a satire on the idea of Lucifer; I wanted to paint Satan as effeminate, purple and lavender, and holding a narcissus flower, alluding to his vanity, while he reclined on a cliff overlooking a grotto and contemplated dissenting from God. According to the legend, Lucifer was originally a beautiful angel, according to some, the most handsome, and in Greek myth was a bright star and guide. Lucifer means “the bright one”.

Over time though as I worked on it, the painting was less of a lark and became more serious, and more of a commentary on human action, folly, blame, and responsibility. The cherubs above represent forethought, and thought they play and frolic, they hold a garland of skulls, as warning to humans, to think ahead and of the results of their actions. They also try in vain to warn Lucifer, who is not even aware of their existence, who is not thinking ahead or of the consequences of his actions, but only of his fine self. The figures in the cliff rock represent people who are suffering and become entrenched in blame and do not take responsibility for their actions. They are caught up in their pain but push it down and say “the Devil made me do it” The rock represents how they are caught up in a cycle of blame and blame everything and everyone else, but in reality, did not “look before they leap” so to speak, and only when they let go of blame and despair will be able to truly embark on a healing process.

This painting, while itself evolved during the process, also is a comment on the changing nature of symbols. While Lucifer has his roots as a Greek god of light, he also originated from the Druid/Wiccan Green Man, a nature protector, and Greek and Mediterranean nature god Pan, who was a “satyr” – a goat from the waist down, had cloven feet, sported horns and a tail, and was sometimes, like Poseidon, depicted holding a trident, an ancient warrior’s weapon later misinterpreted as a pitchfork. Pan was a protector of nature, especially the forests, and should anyone disturb him or the forests while he rested, would let out an immense and powerful cry to send terror into their hearts and cause them to flee, and is also from where the word “panic” originates. The purple in the painting as I mentioned was in point of the ironically feminine nature of ‘the big bad’ but also holds a regal and mystical quality to it – all symbolic of feelings I wanted to swirl in this painting – power and loss of power, the unknown, the beyond. The top of the painting is more purple, but the color drains out to more of a greyish hue toward the bottom, as it reaches more despair and to more suffering depths, and the color is drained and flattened out of life.

I painted this while very in my “Michelangelo phase” and I still love painting images from the expressive face and the rigorous musculature of his figures. Some of the cherubs and beings in the rocks were after or inspired by other Renaissance artists’ paintings, including Botticelli and Raphael. Props go out to my cousin Jake Trammell, who posed as just a tot (well was a restless toddler can hold a pose), for the cherub to the far right of the painting – Jake is now in college and looking at this painting reminds me just how much time has passed!!! I can’t believe my little angel baby is all grown up.

Portrait of Renaissance Lady

Oil on canvas, 16” x 20”, 1993 Collection of the artist

This was the first painting that I ever did, and was inspired by my love of Renaissance portraiture, especially the work of Da Vinci, Rafael, and Botticelli. I later saw the beautiful oil painting, Girl with Cherries, by Italian High Renaissance Painter Giovanni Antonio Boltraffio, and was struck by how similar it was to my vision. I used a Pthalo green underpainting and glazed warm colors over it, to achieve the luminous quality of classical Renaissance technique. I wished to express power and wisdom through the lady’s eyes, and I believe my perseverance and determination in creating this painting, in the end, is reflected in her aspect and her stare.