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More about John the Beloved...

April Niu

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February 12th, 2015 - 05:57 PM

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More about John the Beloved...

Honestly, when Prince Charles reached out to touch the raised 24kt gold lettering, I was thinking “Oh please don’t touch it” but I was very flattered when he said “Well aren’t you the clever American!” John the Beloved is the first painting that I was able to successfully duplicate what my memory will never forget; many years ago, I walked away from a 14th century painting that perfectly demonstrated the delicate balance between egg tempera and oil techniques. It looked as if it had been completed just yesterday. That experience is the reason I am able to genuinely guarantee my artwork according to what has already been proven effective.

In preparation for this investment opportunity, I contacted a world renowned company that provides certificates of authenticity so that I could prove that my painting of “John the Beloved” is actually made according to 12-16th century methods, materials, and techniques—just as you see in the video. I wanted to make sure the investor was confident in the rare, high quality of this painting. The man I spoke with on the phone, proceeded tell me that he could create a certificate for me based upon my word, because very rarely does anyone claim such methods.

Our conversation continued as he explained that he was trained in traditional art; he seemed a bit disgruntled as he proceeded to tell me that many critics claim that such old techniques cause paintings to crack but when I explained to him that ‘cracking is an error in material application’ and referenced the outstanding, beautiful and flawless paintings that still exist today, he went silent.

As you may already know, cave paintings created thousands of years ago, were painted with minerals of the earth and egg yolk; egg tempera is the most permanent form of paint. The longer it is bound, the more permanent it becomes. Many artists will avoid egg tempura because most of the work is done with a handmade squirrel tail brush that forms a single hair stroke, that dries instantly upon application. Thus egg tempera is very time consuming and requires an extreme amount of patience. I find joy in my work because while tedious, I know that I if I do it right the first time, I will only have to do the work once.

To start, all materials are derived from the earth—meaning derived from Nature’s God. The foundation begins with a wood panel covered with muslin cloth, rabbit skin glue, and marble dust or calcium carbonate to create a polished smooth white surface. Rabbit skin glue among many qualities repels insects and therefore protects the wood from warping, infestation, and insures longevity of the wood. The muslin cloth is there as protection in case of fire or accident so that the painting could be meticulously transferred if somehow accidentally damaged. The marble dust or calcium carbonate serve as a binding surface similar to stone—it has technical qualities that canvas paintings cannot duplicate.

As the pigments are all pure minerals from the earth, many are hand ground from specific rocks to control the depth and quality of the color. For example, the rock Malachite gets lighter the finer you grind it—therefore, to get a deeper green, it must remain as a larger crystal—thus you might often see a variation of texture on the painting. This quality make the original literally impossible to perfectly duplicate! As stated in the video, Nature’s pigments will not fade in the sunlight like most pre-made oil and acrylic paints that contain fillers and/or synthetic chemically reproduced colors.

I have meticulously studied, through application, 12-14th century Icon Painting techniques, 14-16th century egg tempera and oil techniques of the Old Masters, ancient illuminated manuscript techniques, and the skillful craftsmanship of gilding. In addition, I have a true passion for geometry as I have intensely studied and used it to create for many, many years.

If you have any further questions, I’d be happy to answer them. Please send me a message through the contact page. Thank you for your time, curiosity, and encouragement. April Niu

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