John Singer Sargent: A Study for Porta della Carta of the Doge’s Palace.
John Singer Sargent was born to expatriate American parents in Florence in 1856. Always in search of culture, his family traveled often throughout Europe, always finding their way back to Italy, the perceived epicenter of all things culturally significant. Even after establishing residency in England in 1886, Sargent returned to Italy numerous times, including annual […]
Rare Gainsborough Study Discovered at Woodshed’s Conservation Studio
Routine examination of a painting rarely reveals surprises, but one portrait of a beautiful woman led to a cross-Atlantic adventure for oil painting conservator Bruce Wood. Infra-red photography revealed a complex and energetic drawing hidden beneath the surface of the paint. The painting was initially identified as a copy of the most famous painting in […]
Hilma af Klint: Mystic Abstractionist
Born in Stockholm in 1862, Hilma af Klint was unknowingly one of the earliest abstract painters. Aside from being an artist, Klint was a practicing mystic, holding seances and channeling ancient spirits. Her occultist beliefs, particularly those of theosophy, formed the crux of her work. Her goal was to gain a spiritual unity by reconciling […]