Women's Portrait Commission

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Pia commissioned this portrait on the eve of her marriage as a remembrance of her life as a single woman. Upon first meeting her, Marvin was struck by her remarkable sense of calmness and clarity. He wanted the portrait to capture those qualities as well as her beauty.

Every decision within the painting was made in support of that goal. Marvin chose a harmonious palette of blues, greens, purples, and soft floral accents because he felt those colors reflected Pia’s personality. The quiet, subdued palette creates a sense of calmness and gentleness that mirrors the impression she made upon him when they first met. At the same time, the analogous color relationships allow the warm tones of her complexion to glow naturally against the cooler surroundings.

The flowers, wallpaper, chair fabric, dress, and even the carved details of the chair all share related textures and patterns. Rather than drawing attention to themselves, these elements work together to create a sense of harmony and visual unity throughout the painting. Marvin used these colors because they felt like Pia.

At the same time, Marvin used the darker passages of Pia’s hair, dress, and chair to frame the lighter flesh tones of her face, shoulders, and hands. By carefully controlling the relationships between light, dark, texture, and color, he was able to keep the viewer’s attention exactly where he wanted it—on Pia herself.

While photographing Pia, Marvin noticed a small porcelain cherub and immediately thought of Michelangelo’s depiction of the Creation of Adam. Positioned so that it gently touches Pia’s hand, the figure provides a playful and symbolic reference to the future she was preparing to create for herself.