TRIBUTE TO
MASTERS
THE
HUMAN TOUCH | acrylics on canvas | 60x30 cm
History has known many great artists. Artists who managed to leave a mark on their field and thus exerted a remarkable influence on art history.
Today their works are known all over the world and are an important part of our cultural heritage.
As a tribute to these legendary artists, contemporary artist Marcel Witte painted a collection of paintings; a Tribute to the Masters.
In this special collection of paintings, famous works like 'Sunflowers' by Vincent van Gogh, 'Girl with a pearl earring' by Johannes Vermeer or the 'Creation of Adam' by Michelangelo are reduced to a simple yet recognizable sketch. Marcel used this as a starting point for the paintings in his 'Tribute to the Master' project. They enter into a subtle interaction with the work applied over them. Within this collection, Marcel succeeded to tell stories and reflect on various political and social subjects in a way that characterizes his personal style. With his almost life-size animals and empty backgrounds he gives his work and that of his inspirational masters a unique twist.
In the future more paintings will be added to this project
HUMAN TOUCH
Tribute to: Michelangelo
Creation of Adam (1508-1512)
The ‘Creation of Adam’ is a fresco painted by the great Michaelangelo and can be found on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome. It illustrates the biblical creation narrative from the Book of Genesis in which God gives life to Adam.
The hands of both Adam and God is maybe the most reproduced detail.
acrylics on canvas | 60x30 cm
The reproduction of Marcel’s ‘Creation of Adam’ shines a clever light on one of the world’s longest debates in history; is the idea of evolution compatible with religion? There is a group of evolutionists that believe the answer is ‘yes’. In this view, religion is created with a human touch to promote the idea that us humans have to cooperate with each other in order to survive.
NATURAL BEAUTY
Tribute to: Johannes Vermeer
Girl with a Pearl Earring (ca 1666)
'Girl with a Pearl Earring' is Vermeer's most famous painting. It is a painting of an imaginary figure. Even though the earring draws a lot of attention, the girl alone expresses a form of natural beauty that never ceases to amaze. Just like the endless beauty in nature. If you allow yourself to look closely to what nature has to offer, you can discover all kinds of "pearly" treasures within the animal kingdom.
Like the jewel scarab beetle on Marcels version of the painting.
acrylics on canvas | 30x35 cm
BEHIND THE MASK
Tribute to: René Magritte
Man in a Bowler Hat (1964)
Magritte used the image of a man wearing a bowler hat in several of his paintings. He also likes to hide elements of his paintings from the viewer. In his painting 'Man in a bowler hat', the man's face is hidden by a dove. "It's something that happens constantly", says Magritte. "Everything we see hides another thing, we always want to see what is hidden by what we see." Magritte was certainly right about that. People are curious by nature. Nevertheless it happens that we judge a book by its cover.
Acrylic on canvas | 30x42 cm
STANDING STRONG
Tribute to: Katsushika Hokusai
Great Wave off Kanagawa (1831)
'The Great Wave off Kanagawa', also known as 'Great Wave', is Hokusai’s best known work. It is a woodblock print and it depicts three boats moving through a storm-tossed sea, with Mount Fuji visible in the background.
The rogue wave looks monstrous and threatens the fishermen with its "claws" of foam. When you seem to have lost touch with all that felt familiar you have to stand strong and keep the faith that better days will come.
acrylics on canvas | 42x30 cm
OBJECT OF AFFECTION
Tribute to: Vincent van Gogh
Sunflowers (1888 - 1889)
The sunflower was a big source of inspiration for Van Gogh. These flowers seduced him into making five different paintings of ‘Sunflowers in a vase’. With their infinite beauty, those same flowers know how to attract millions of visitors around the world into the museum. Just like the flower in our beautiful nature that is capable of attracting a vast variety of species. Beauty as object of affection; to nourish both body and soul of everyone in need.
acrylics on canvas | 72x93 cm