Portraits in commission

Painting portraits in commission has become one of theresa rijssenbeek's specialties. In her studio one can find several portraits, at various stages of advancement. They show the work of an artist whose craftmanship almost seems to be of another age, if only because of the patience she exercises and the amount of time her method of working takes. Layer by layer, the oil paint is applied onto the canvas and gradually a face emerges. A face which, as the portrait is nearing completion, has a story to tell and eyes that clearly look at you.

Theresa rijssenbeek compares painting a portrait to writing a story. 'In every brushstroke something is captured, made visible. I find faces extremely fascinating. They speak of someone's character and life and I try to capture some of that during the time it takes to paint the portrait. This explains the essential difference between a photograph and a painted portrait: while a photograph literally registers a moment in time, a painted portrait comes into being, tells a person's life history'

The proceedings

A portrait is the result of an interaction between the artist and the model. In order to come to a vivid painting, it is essential that they get to know one another. Therefore, they will meet at the studio, have a drink, theresa will ask questions and listen, meanwhile taking photographs of her guest in an easy and unconstrained manner. The pose, the size of the painting and the price will be agreed upon.

The model will pose six to eight times. To theresa, the model's presence is indispensable in order to capture his/her inner glow and to have her brushes translate this onto the canvas. Therefore, it is not necessary to sit stil...

Special portrait arrangement in France

Relatively new is the possibility of having your portrait painted while enjoying a week of leisure in a most comfortable Dutch owned cottage, "le moulin de palbas", at walking distance from theresa rijssenbeek's studio, or in (also Dutch owned) "Maison l'Aventure", another Bed and Breakfast a bit farther away. Each morning, you will sit and pose in the studio for a little over an hour, and you will be free to spend the rest of the day as you please. Nearby, you will find a 18 holes golf course and an exceptional medieval garden complex, as well as many old towns and beautiful forests.

After this week, theresa will have gathered enough information to complete the portrait. However, since the paint needs to be completely dry, the portrait will be delivered about three weeks after the last session, at the address you indicated.

Prices (indication)

head
head + bust
¾ with hands
portrait statue

2100 euro
2500 euro
3200 euro
3900 euro

(prices ex VAT 6 % )