Painting of the Week: “Walk on the Wild Side”

The following is part of a series that features the best artists who are teaching others how to paint through online workshops at PaintTube.tv. Click here to create portraits that breathe life with Vicki Sullivan’s “Painting Realistic Portraits.”

“Walk on the Wild Side”

by Vicki Sullivan

For years, I have been captivated by the painting of “The Goldfinch” by Dutch artist Carel Fabritius. It wasn’t until a few years ago when I visited The Mauritshuis Museum of Art in the Hague that I truly delved into the story behind this masterpiece.

I discovered the tragic fate of Fabritius, who met an untimely death in the explosion of the Delft gunpowder magazine in 1654. This devastating event not only claimed his life but also destroyed a significant portion of the city, including his studio and many of his paintings.

Remarkably, only a handful of his works, including “The Goldfinch,” survived.

Some speculate that the painting itself may be a fragment of a larger piece that miraculously endured the blast.

As I learned more about Fabritius, I couldn’t help but wonder about his influence on other renowned artists of his time, particularly Vermeer, who was painting in Delft during that period.

Could Fabritius be the missing link between Rembrandt and Vermeer?

Inspired by the rich history and symbolism of “The Goldfinch,” I felt compelled to incorporate it into a more contemporary setting.

In my imagination, I envisioned the Goldfinch as a central figure in a modern-day narrative, alongside a model who exudes the enigmatic allure of a character from a Lou Reed song.

Provenance, Honorable Mention, from the Melbourne Society of Women Painters and Sculptors “Changing perspectives” Members exhibition, 2023

Helpful Links

• Visit Vicki Sullivan’s website and see more of her realistic portraits at vickisullivan.com
• Learn her techniques for painting realistic portraits at PaintTube.tv
• Browse more contemporary realism figurative art here at RealismToday.com