Professional Portrait Commission

Stephen Fishback originally approached Marvin about painting a simple head-and-shoulders portrait. As an avid collector of art and antiques, Stephen had spent years admiring portraits from the perspective of the observer and collector. Having developed a particular fascination with 19th-century porcelain portraits, he became curious about what it would feel like to be on the receiving end of the portrait process rather than simply appreciating portraits created by others.

During their discussions, Marvin suggested that while a head-and-shoulders portrait could certainly be successful, there was an opportunity to create something more personal. Stephen’s interests extended well beyond porcelain portraits alone. Over the years he had assembled a collection of paintings, sculptures, antiques, and decorative objects that reflected his lifelong appreciation for art and design. Marvin felt that incorporating some of these interests into the portrait would create a more meaningful and individual statement about the sitter.

The antique chair and porcelain portraits were selected because they held particular significance for Stephen while also contributing to the overall composition. One of the porcelain pieces is a double portrait and the other a single portrait. Their inclusion allows the painting to acknowledge an important passion in Stephen’s life without overwhelming the primary purpose of the portrait, which remains the depiction of the sitter himself.

This approach reflects Marvin’s broader philosophy toward portraiture. Whenever possible, he looks for opportunities to incorporate elements that reveal something unique about the individual being portrayed. Sometimes that may involve symbolic objects, sometimes a particular setting, and sometimes simply a thoughtful choice of color, pose, or design. The goal is never to add details for their own sake, but rather to create a portrait that feels personal and specific to the sitter.

For Marvin, the challenge is always to discover what makes each person unique and then find a visual language that expresses those qualities. That is why the portraits throughout these gallery pages vary so dramatically from one another. Rather than relying upon a formula, Marvin approaches each commission as a new problem to solve, searching for the combination of design, symbolism, and observation that will best represent the individual before him.

The resulting portrait not only captures Stephen’s likeness, but also reflects the interests, passions, and collecting instincts that have played such an important role throughout his life. Stephen was so pleased with the completed portrait that he later commissioned Marvin to paint a portrait of his mother, Sylvia Fishback, based on a photograph taken when she was seventeen years old.