Busacca Gallery

Antique Ink Wash Sketch Drawing Nymphs & Satyrs Peter Paul Rubens / The sketch of nymphs and satyrs was made in black and grey wash. It is assumed to be the work of a studio assistant, while Rubens then went over the drawing with brush and grey colour. On tan laid paper. Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish, 1577-1640) (See the photo examples of the Ruben, paintings that could relate to this drawing) What’s interesting and valuable is the Issues related to artists’ ownership of the images, both adversarial and collaborative, are explored through considering works by the artist Ruben, and replicas of his originals. This is one of a series of work sketch studies for a larger painting. This is a spectacular antique Nymphs and Satyrs ink wash painting, drawing. This looks to be by the master artist Ruben. Signed By the artist bottom right of the page P.P. Ruben? Medium: Gray Ink wash on very old paper. If anyone has more info let me know please? Regardless of its source: This is a great little drawing. The paper is still relatively looking fresh for a very old wash painting. A lot of these drawings were destroyed in the name of decency and it now seems a pity that our ancestors did not bother about the artistic value of these works. These great masters, produced some incredible drawings and even paintings from these art studies. I love how different this is; the mood of this wonderful and very impressive antique, ink wash on textured paper. This is an unusual and fascinating piece in an unusual technique. The bold choice of ink wash is excellent! The dry brush technique combined with watercolor paper produces an image of deep and provocative mystery. Northern artists, predominantly those in the Netherlands and Germany, traveled increasingly to southern Europe—particularly Italy—during this time, responding to Italian art and antique statuary. The circulation of artistic ideas, practices, and traditions resulted in a dialogue of inspiration and innovation across the continent. Looking North and South examines how artists responded to the work of their contemporaries in different regions of early modern Europe, revealing varying modes of artistic production and the important role of works on paper in shaping the exchange of ideas. Looking North and South considers approaches to drawing practices and education, depictions of the body and narrative subjects, and the dynamics of printmaking and artistic collaboration. Prints moved easily across large geographical distances, passing between artists and collectors and making ideas and artistic forms available to wide audiences. Drawings—from the highly finished to the loosely executed—offer insight into artists’ working processes and creativity. “By raising questions about process and material. Seeing some of these works side-by-side allows the viewer to think about what northern and southern artists were interested in depicting, how they were making these works, and how they were responding to each other—or in some cases not responding at all.” Drawing the body is a fundamental aspect of artistic learning and has served as one the first steps in an artist’s education since the Renaissance. Artists in the Netherlands and Italy approached the depiction of the body in different ways because of their respective traditions or training, yet their artistic challenges in representing the body—whether from life or from antique sculpture—and handling light and shadow were similar.

Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ink_and_wash_painting

Grinding ink in water. artists from around the world spend years practicing basic brush strokes to refine their brush movement and ink flow. In the hand of a master, a single stroke can produce astonishing variations in tonality, from deep black to silvery gray. Indeed, Oriental sumi-e has long inspired modern artists in the West. In his classic book Composition, American artist and educator Arthur Wesley Dow (1857–1922) wrote this about sumi-e: "The painter ...put upon the paper the fewest possible lines and tones; just enough to cause form, texture and effect to be felt. Every brush-touch must be full-charged with meaning, and useless detail eliminated. Put together all the good points in such a method, and you have the qualities of the highest art". Dow’s fascination with sumi-e not only shaped his own approach to art but also helped free many American modernists of the era, including his student Georgia O’Keeffe, from what he called a 'story-telling' approach. Dow strived for harmonic compositions through three elements: line, notan, and color. He advocated practicing with Oriental brushes and ink to develop aesthetic acuity with line and notan. Wash painting developed in China during the Tang Dynasty (618-907). Wang Wei is generally credited as the painter who applied color to existing ink and wash paintings. The art was further developed into a more polished style during the Song Dynasty (960-1279). It was introduced to Korea shortly after China's discovery of the ink. Then, the Korean missionaries in Japan, in helping the Japanese establish a civilized settlement introduced it to Japan in the mid-14th century.