Classical Portrait Commission

This head-and-shoulders portrait had a very different evolution than the other portraits depicted in these gallery pages. Most commissioned portraits begin only after the commission itself has been arranged. In Dan’s case, he served as a model in Marvin Mattelson’s continuing education portrait painting class at the School of Visual Arts.

During the course of the class, Dan showed a photograph of the painting-in-progress to his mother, who was so impressed by the result that she commissioned Marvin to carry the portrait through to a complete finish.

Because of the extensive time Marvin devotes to his finished paintings and the demanding schedules of many of his clients, opportunities to work primarily from life are increasingly rare. Yet painting from life remains one of Marvin’s greatest pleasures, making this portrait especially rewarding to complete.

Due to the time constraints of a classroom setting, demonstration paintings are rarely developed beyond their initial stages. In fact, Marvin has never before had the opportunity to take a classroom demonstration painting to the same level of completion as one of his fully resolved commissioned portraits.

The resulting painting combines the freshness and spontaneity of direct observation with the refinement and finish of a completed commission. It also reflects an important aspect of Marvin’s approach to portraiture. While working from life offers unique opportunities for direct observation, creating a successful portrait requires far more than simply copying what is seen. The artist must interpret, organize, and transform visual information into a convincing work of art.

That same process guides Marvin whether he is working from life, photographs, or a combination of both. For that reason, this portrait occupies a unique place within his body of work, combining the immediacy of a live demonstration with the level of finish normally associated with his most highly resolved commissions.