Carlo Russo Dutch Flower Painting Workshop. ~. by Katherine McNenly
Jan Van Huysum, Vase of Flowers, Oil on Panel 1722
I have been painting professionally for many years now, but I still feel I have a lot more to learn. I love to take a workshop from time to time, if I am able. The pandemic has opened a world of learning from artists, who use to only have in person workshops. Now with good online presentations they can communicate their procedures well.
I am always soaking up information from artists whom I admire and have the same obsessions that I have. In this case it is Dutch still life painting from the Golden Age. Which was mainly work done in the 17th and early 18th century.
Carlo Russo, an American still life painter, has been spending the last few years concentrating on flower painting from life. His approach is much like the traditional Dutch flower painters would have used. So, when he decided to offer an online version of his workshop I signed up and learned quite a bit about the history of this type of painting and how to approach one on your own.
One of the best flower painters from 17th century was Jan Van Huysum. His flower paintings are in mind blowing detail. Because these artists did not have photographs, they had to paint everything from either life or studies done from life. But each flower is from a different season. So, the artist had to paint things at different times of the year in the same lighting situation and somehow fit everything together like it was a fresh bouquet. It would sometimes take several years to complete a single painting. This is so mind boggling! I have always been dumbstruck when I look at these pictures. The patience to paint these compositions and the understanding of their subject is superhuman.
The paintings of Jan Van Huysum are filled with flowers just before they begin to die, representing the transience of life. There are also many insects and other natural objects and drops of water are visible on leaves and some of the flowers.
Carlo Russo was great at explaining how these painters would conceive a composition and then carefully overlay one flower after another. There are tricks which he uses to maintain shadows cast from one flower to the next. He would use fake flowers to cast shadows on the next flower behind, if the one in front had died already or was from a different time of the year. I am thinking perhaps the Dutch may have had silk replicas they could have used in this way. They would have had to use something. Or maybe they were able to conceptualize cast shadows. But they would definitely utilize highly detailed studies, which could then be repainted into a composition. Day 1 the flower is quickly drawn in on a toned panel and the painting is begun. Because the flower can change over the course of a day or two depending on the bloom, you must try and bring it to a good finish on the first day. On the second day you can go back in and do some more work on it, pushing thicker paint in the lights and glazes of thin colour where needed. You would usually start with the most prominent flower in the composition.
Carlo Russo
Once the flower from the first and second day is finished, you start the next flower or leaves behind with the same process. You would continue this way through out the picture, with the last small accent flowers painted over the background. The vase and other creatures could be developed last.
This is one of Carlo Russo’s flower paintings. All done from life, except the red tulip which he painted from a study he did from an earlier date. His paintings have a wonderful sense of life and movement. They take an incredible amount of time to finish but are well worth it. He is a very accomplished painter, and I am grateful for him sharing his knowledge. I am looking forward to trying out some simple arrangements in this manner.
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