Birth Of Venus
This is a copy of the famous Botticelli's "Birth Of Venus". This is a very well painted oil or tempura on what appears to be burlap. My question is this: does an exceptionally painted copy of a famous painting have value? Also, I don't understand why a finely detailed painting would be painted on a very course, dark surface, unless it is very old, and that was all that was available. You can see where this surface is showing through, just over Venus's head, where the paint is thin. The canvas is also showing at Zephyr's foot and other areas where an apparent frame has removed the paint over the years. One other item which I find odd is, although this copy is remarkably similar to the original, the woman holding the robe has a ring on her third finger in my copy, but does not in the original painting. The copy I have has more patina and color subtlety,more delicate, less restored looking, less outlining around the figures. Venus is more alabaster in coloring which is what I would expect in the classical style. If I had to venture a guess, it would be that this was copied from the original, prior to restoration, when the color tint was more of a rose/pink, i.e. Venus, goddess of love. The restored version of the original seems to have more of a golden tint. The detail of this painting is such that whoever painted it, had to be sitting in front of the original, while painting it. This would indicate to me that the copy had to be authorized by the Medici family. The proportions of this are an exact 1/16 scaled down dimension of the original painting, in an exact scale of height to width.
This copy has been in my family for years
Inherited
Yes
Dear Mitchell,
Thank you for your request. Please add more and detailed images of the surface of the painting. Thank you.
With kind regards,
Georg
Thanks for your help and diligence.
Mitch
28" width 18" height
Mitch
Dear Mitch,
Thank you for the additional images and your patience. The presented object is highly possible a glicee print on canvas with the measurements of 18 x 28 inches. It is a copy of the famous painting made by Sandro Botticelli (1445-1510) and depicts the birth of the goddess Venus. The arguments that this is a print and not a painting are: The surface of the artwork is totally plain and no brush strokes are visible. Also, you could see the printer dot fragmentation in the detailed images. This print was made in the second half of the 20th century.
An estimation would be between 25 to 50 USD.
This estimation is based on actual recent past recorded auction sales of comparables. Retail "asking prices" can be higher and vary.
With best regards,
Georg
I appreciate your analysis but I have looked up the process and I don't believe it is. I think the answer about the brush strokes is actually that this isn't oil paint, but instead tempura. Thanks,I will take it to a local university and get an in person appraisal.
Dear Mitchell,
Sadly I am quite sure about this identification of the technique of this artwork. In the end an hands on apprisal is allways the most sure way for every artwork. Please let me know the results.
With kind regards,
Georg
I recognize that it's difficult to evaluate a paint through photos. I have studied the gilicee process, and this isn't that. I've looked at the various forms of this medium, which is very obvious. I have painted using various mediums and I'm very analytical. This is tempera, which actually has penetrated the canvas and shows up in the crevices on the back. It clings to the fibers on the damaged areas as dried tempera crumbling,almost like plaster. These are mainly in areas that a frame would have lifted off the painting after years of contact. There are no brush marks because lightly applied tempera, being water based is would make brush strokes undetectable. There are a couple areas where the paint has been deliberately thickened almost to the point of running, on the waves, and there is detectable elevation. I have examined the painting under 6X magnification and there are no pixels. In places the underlying course canvas gives the appearance of pixels. I would invite in person evaluation of this painting.I have now studied renaissance tempera paintings prior to restoration in art catalogs and the appearance is uncannily similar. I will probably just find an renaissance expert a ta university to give me further in person evaluation.
Dear Mitchell,
I am sorry that you are not happy with the appraisal. Also, tempera paintings have brush strokes. This copy is also too close in the details to the original painting by Sandro Botticelli. Another argument that this is a copy of the 20th century is the bleaching of the colors. Mostly prints after paintings are made in giclee. It could also be an offset of less possible a lithograph print. These reprints are quite often on the market and I have seen many of them. The slightly blurred resolution and the bleached colors are very typical.
If you have questions don't hesitate to ask.
With kind regards,
Georg
Dear Mitchell,
Please add also the measurements.
With kind regards,
Georg