Old Master Portrait

There is a new show at the Milwaukee Art Museum featuring the work of Jan Lievens, who was a friend, fellow student and studio buddy of Rembrandt. Its a brilliant show, he did terrific portraits and I was lucky enough to get into a class that allows me to copy one of his works. It was hard to chose but there were two portraits of men in turbans with feathers that were knock-outs. I picked the painting above, a picture of a young man in a turban and cloak. It's pretty when you see it on the web, but in person it's gorgeous. We are only allowed to draw, not paint, I think because of the fear that fumes from paint solvent would damage the paintings. The point is to study the technique and composition of an old master and understand how he put it all together. I made a good start last week and got the basic shapes in fairly well, and since  he doesn't look like a space alien in my drawing, I think I'm doing ok so far.