The Guardian
G. Boersma
acrylics on masonite
36.7" x 22.6" or 93,3 x 57,5 cm
2009
SOLD
One of my favourite subjects to paint are people admiring art in museums. Not only do I love the double layer of viewing a painting of people viewing a painting, it's also a great way to honour some of the greatest painters of the past. Not to mention that copying the masters is just a great excersise, it sure makes me a better painter.
While the Guardian isn't exactly a painting of people admiring art, it sure is a great museum scene. On the painting you see an attendent in front of Venus and Adonis done by Simon Vouet in 1642 as seen in the Getty Center in Los Angeles.
Adonis holding his spear is ready to leave his beloved Venus to be off to the hunt. Venus, the goddess of love, touches his shoulder, imploring him not to go. My attendant is guarding this scene and in doing so he's the guardian of love as well.
Soon after completing this painting a couple of my collectors from LA visited the Getty Museum together and ran into my portraited attendant. They recgonized him from the painting I did. They chatted for a bit and asked him if he knew I painted him. He didn't, but soon after he saw the painting he said he was honoured to have modeled for such a great work of art. Isn't that great!
If you happen to visit the Getty anytime soon and you see him, make sure to tell him I said hi!
kind regards, Gerard
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