Yesterday I visited the Seattle Art Museum's exhibition of Roman Art from the Louvre. It's amazing to have so many of the Louvre's collection here in Seattle. Each gallery of the exhibition space is painted a different saturated color that was great to show off the white marble--and allow us to see the subtle color variations and textures of the busts, figures, and bas reliefs.
Here are some drawings I made from the pieces. Drawing from statuary, for me, is not at all a study of light or copying in any sense. As you can see from my sketches, they're my reaction to that piece in terms of mark making (we're allowed only "pencils" in the museum)--an energetic reaction, a spacial relationship reaction, a reaction to how that Form exists in space at that time for me.
My favorite quote posted on one of the gallery walls:
As soon as one sees with one's own eyes the whole which one had Hitherto only known in fragments and chaotically, a new life begins. (Goethe, Italian Journey, Nov. 1, 1786)
Sketches are 9" x 6.5", conte crayon on acid free paper. They're all available for purchase, just email me for pricing.
