James Portrait

"James" 18 x 24 in, oil on panel

This is another new portrait in oils. This portrait commission is smaller than my usual subjects; the painting is only 18x24 in. Usually I prefer to work life size, but in this case the painting stands out all the better. By concentrating the whole subject it has gained in intensity.

The painting was inspired by a Michel Sittow portrait from the National Gallery of Art in D.C. James, my sitter, had seen it many times and admired it. Therefore it was partly for this reason that we went for the smaller size and used panel instead of canvas. The panel really allowed me to get into all of the detail.

In a way this painting was also coincidentally related to a Salvador Dali painting, the "Sacrament of the Last Supper". While choosing to robe James partially in yellow he came out looking a lot like the third figure to the right of Jesus. He found this quite fitting for he said that he had wanted to be portrayed in a repentent attitude. In any case I was going for a very contemplative mood. Other notes of interest may be that the object James is holding in his right hand is a Dorje, a ritual and significant symbol of Buddhism.