The Restoration of Bettie Page – 01-04-20

Website link: https://corneakkers.com/2020/04/01/the-restoration-of-bettie-page-01-04-20/
Printable: https://corneakkers.com/product/the-restoration-of-bettie-page-01-04-20-2/
In November 2018 I started this project after a prestudy in graphite ‘An archeological memory of Bettie Page – 13-11-18’. Obviously the canvas size of this painting is bigger than the original drawing. Therefor the balance between main theme (camel, statue and stele) and the negative space around it should show more coherence. It just felt not right to leave a lot of space while main theme was to be portrayed so lavisly.

I always have been an admirer or Jan van Eyck’s ‘The Madonna of Chancellor Rolin’. That is the main reason to add an abundancy of details in this one as well. See if I can match the quality of old master’s work.

In general I could state that in this painting i tried to employ all my knowledge and techniques on a level of creating art. Jan van Eyck could have stated: “Als Ich Can”.

For some time I hesitated to put down explanatory remarks as there is nothing worse than explaining a good joke. However I put in so many details making sense only to me as an artist as the story grew inside my mind. Hence a necessary explanation prevails over the risk of not being understood by anyone.

Oil on wood panel (85 x 120 x 0.9 cm)
Artist: Corné Akker