copying at the National Gallery: Day 2, Copy after Gerrit van Honthorst's "The Concert"

April 30, 2026

Day 2, Copy after Gerrit van Honthorst's "The Concert"

photo by a nice museum visitor

Today was my second day copying "The Concert" by Gerrit van Honthorst. I started with the dark, silhouetted man on the left, and I jumped in and started trying to nail the colors right away, but I think I'm better off sneaking up on them. I wiped off some of the red shirt I had painted in and went over it again with a thinner coat of the jewel-toned quinacridone red. I went on, laying colors beside each other. I had arrived late, so after painting for about 1 1/2 hours, it was time for lunch. After lunch, as I approached my gallery, I was startled to see someone standing very close to my painting, and then I realized that it WAS my painting that I was seeing!

Here's what I saw as I approached the room:

So funny! After lunch, I concentrated and covered as much ground as I could. Since I'm painting on a white surface, all the colors seem too dark as I'm applying them, but once I get the canvas all covered, I will make adjustments. I'm running up against some areas where the drawing is a little off, and I don't seem to have enough room for some elements, but I'll figure out a way to make it better.

I painted for another hour and a half after lunch, then suddenly felt very tired and decided to stop. Here is how it looked at the end of Day 2, in the gallery and in the Copyists' locker room, where the painting has to live until I'm finished with it.

Thanks for reading! Click the images for a larger view.

No comments:

Post a Comment

copying at the National Gallery

A friend turned me on to the Copyist Program at the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. in the fall of 2000. Since I live in Northern Virginia, it is pretty convenient (about 45 minutes travel time) to get there. I called the Registrar of the museum to say I was interested in becoming a copyist, and she said she would mail me a packet of information and requirements. I received the packet in the next day's mail! I read through all the rules and regulations of being a copyist, and saw that I would need to come up with four letters of recommendation: two from people who knew me as an artist, and two character references. I immediately contacted four people who could serve as references, and asked them to mail in letters for me. I was also required to write my own letter, stating why I was interested in the copyist program. Finally, I had an interview with the Registrar and showed her two of my paintings. I was accepted into the program that day, and within a month of that first phone call, I was standing in the National Gallery copying my first painting.

Copyists are given a locker in a locked room in the museum. I keep my current painting there, in the painting rack. I have to ask a guard to unlock the copyists' room whenever I want to access my locker. The museum provides a large easel, stool, and dropcloth, which are in position in the gallery I am copying in. A permit must be obtained for each painting I copy, and I'm only allowed to work on one at a time. I have to have my permit on me or with the painting all the time, and show it to the guards on request. Only one copyist is allowed in a room on a given day, and some of the rooms are off limits because they are too small. Only works in the West Building are available for copying. There are other restrictions, such as not being able to sell your copy while on National Gallery property, and having to size your copy at least two inches smaller or larger than the original.

copying at the National Gallery

April 30, 2026

Day 2, Copy after Gerrit van Honthorst's "The Concert"

No comments:

Visit my web site

Follow me on Instagram

Subscribe to receive lastest post by email

Past copies

copying at the National Gallery

About Me