Madonna and Child

by Liliana Fernandes
(S. Pedro do Sul - Portugal)

Hi Delmus

Here goes my last work, I tried my best, but may be the cast shadows are to dark?!

I would love to read your opinion.
best regards
Liliana

Editors Notes:

Hi Liliana! what a wonderful work. Sorry it has taken so long to reply. The notification email was accidentally put into the wrong folder, so I just missed it till it was time for a clean up. Wooo, glad I didn't toss it out!

This really is a nice work. I'm going to go out on a limb, not wanting to offend you, you are a great painter. In some of your last posts you included whether a painting was a copy of an old master, and I'm thinking you may have done the same here and just forgot to post it. No worries, the painting will stand on it's own. There is nothing wrong in copying a master, it's been done for ages, both for learning and enterprise. Is this painting a derivative of the artist below:

Giovanni Battista Salvi known as Sassoferrato
Sassoferrato – Marche, 1609 – Rome, 1685
Madonna with the Sleeping Child



I've included his work next to yours.

The piece is similar except reversed, which is a good idea, I like your format better.

It follows a traditional religious composition in which the subjects are kept within the triangle (see my page on still life symbolism)

As far as the cast shadows, this painting is fine. The type of lighting is very diffused, and lends itself to an "angelic glow". A very soft light cast on the subjects not giving to very many cast shadows.

Comparing to the Maratta, your colors could be more intense (see his reds). But this is a personal preference. You may have diluted and muted your colors to continue with the softness of the lighting.

Thanks for submitting, we look forward to more.

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