Shadows

This is a digital painting I was working on yesterday, and it uses detail from a painting of the 19th century, by Martinus Rorbye on view at the National Gallery of Denmark, and online here

http://www.smk.dk/en/explore-the-art/highlights/martinus-roerbye-view-from-the-artists-window/

If you view the original painting, you will see the artist has painted a view of Copenhagen harbour from the window, which I have eliminated, as well as other internal detail of the room from his parent’s house.

The original painting displays the artists position of viewing a horizon full of opportunity and new experience. He is looking out from a very comfortable position and seeing only possibility, ships to take him away and a safe harbour of the delightful room to return to. There are no shadows.

My feelings are much more trepidatory at the moment. I have the comfort of a secure position, but the view I look out on is more blank – it has no ships sailing in it, the expanse is unwritten. Inside the room there are the tended plants that are blooming, having been nurtured, and the book is open on the table, still being examined. But the shadows are there too, they are close and dark, as real as the view, as experienced as the comfort.

This then is a more accurate picture of my view, and I am grateful to the National Gallery of Denmark for sharing their treasure and allowing the use of the material to be reshaped and made into something new and different to share.

Here is a statement from the website that explains the use of Public Domain images

Here you can find information on how you can use images of Public Domain artworks in the SMK collection.

Statens Museum for Kunst is Denmark’s National Gallery and main museum of art. The collections span 700 years of art history, presenting works from Denmark, Europe, and the rest of the world. A large share of these collections are in the public domain. They are part of our shared cultural heritage and have been around for so long that they are completely free of any copyright restrictions. This means that you have the right to:

Share the images – i.e. to copy, distribute, and transmit them.

Remix the images – i.e. modify and reuse them in new contexts.

Use the images in any context – e.g. teaching, research, lectures, publications, film productions, etc. This includes commercial purposes

I feel so lucky to be in an age of enlightenment!