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No Doll
By zancan
1K Favourites117 Comments41K Views
Oil painting on canvas
27x65 inch (70x165cm)
This is the painting that I've done last year, started on january 1st and finished on december 31st ( with long moments hovering in between ).
It's a project that had been dear to me for many years, and which went through a lot of conceptual changes until I came up with a painting.
You might be interested in finding symbols that echoe with another painting in my gallery called "Pas d'Ange" . Not exactly candidates for a diptych, because their color schemes are way too different, but the concepts behind are linked, the objects in the scene show some relationships. The canvas are the same size, too. Ah, and the slope is the same.
For details, close-ups and a bit of discussion, you can check out the page on my blog: here
Many thanks to Joëlle who was the brave model for this one.
Cheeeeers !

27x65 inch (70x165cm)
This is the painting that I've done last year, started on january 1st and finished on december 31st ( with long moments hovering in between ).
It's a project that had been dear to me for many years, and which went through a lot of conceptual changes until I came up with a painting.
You might be interested in finding symbols that echoe with another painting in my gallery called "Pas d'Ange" . Not exactly candidates for a diptych, because their color schemes are way too different, but the concepts behind are linked, the objects in the scene show some relationships. The canvas are the same size, too. Ah, and the slope is the same.
For details, close-ups and a bit of discussion, you can check out the page on my blog: here
Many thanks to Joëlle who was the brave model for this one.
Cheeeeers !

Image details
Image size
800x1892px 276.91 KB
Published: Â Â |Â Â Mature
© 2012 - 2021 zancan
Comments117
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Very lovely and well executed piece that is purely open for interpretation which only adds to its appeal. Regarding the criticism, the things that I feel can be improved on are:
- The wall. The manner in which it was painted in is very soft and lacks texture. This is especially evident when comparing to the very well detailed and sharp texture of the floor. I can understand softening it, to add more emphasis to the figure, but I feel it is way too airbrushed and randomly colored, making it resemble human flesh.
- Drapery / wallpaper in the top right corner. Not exactly sure what that is, due to the bottom of it being vary vague, looking like it's dissolving into the wall. A bit more refinement as to what's going on there would've been nice. In addition, the blue lighting in the corner of it feels out of place and is distracting to the eye once you notice it.
Last thing is minor and some may say it depends on personal taste, but I feel that her revealed breast is small in proportion to her head, as well as can benefit from more refinement. A subtle highlight along with a stronger shadow at the bottom can give it better definition.
Hope that helped. Great work man!

























Immediately I'm struck by the incredible detail & beauty of the background elements (the fine detail of the dollhouse, the texture of wall & floor, the damask wall print: in which it was a good choice to include while not having it cover the entire wall to serve as a distracting element). The little bits of vine creeping into the painting becomes something like a bit of a signature (in addition to the actual signature).
This painting employs an oft-used theme, but the extreme subtlety of the pose and facial features express so much more than if the pose, costuming, and face (makeup) were all-out doll or marionette (and avoids being hackneyed along those lines), keeping the focus on the deeply human aspect. Along with the strings and clothing elements they effectively convey a quiet unraveling. The character's world (either inner or outer) seems to be coming undone, and it could be a falling out of balance or a sort of liberation (or both). It's obvious this is a personal piece for the artist, but it's open enough to also allow the viewer to bring their own interpretation since it's anything but static.
The other painting to which this one is linked has elements that seem more binding, and so serves as a sort of counterpoint to this one. I do think they would make a powerful diptych - despite potentially jarring color differences - because they go so strongly together in terms of balance and mood.

Absolutely incredible! And I saw the relation with your hauntingly beautiful Pas d'Ange the very first time I saw it. I would love to see both side by side and hear you elaborate more on their connection. Brilliant as usual man!

Well where to start....
first off the setting ... the incomplete drapery is somewhat sad but also introspective of some event that may have occurred in the space depicted... also the walls are slightly discoloured and which only adds to the appeal. He wooden floor and the weed growing on the floorboards is evident that the set is of a certain age.
as for the model herself the broken strings are evident of a recent struggle to break free which may have resulted in the set and attire being as is
Conceptually as far as my opinion goes the painting symbolizes every human soul's struggle to break free of ties and bindings and to exercise their own free will and also of the losses and hardships faced during this struggle
all in all ... A piece I'm glad to have witnessed
first off the setting ... the incomplete drapery is somewhat sad but also introspective of some event that may have occurred in the space depicted... also the walls are slightly discoloured and which only adds to the appeal. He wooden floor and the weed growing on the floorboards is evident that the set is of a certain age.
as for the model herself the broken strings are evident of a recent struggle to break free which may have resulted in the set and attire being as is
Conceptually as far as my opinion goes the painting symbolizes every human soul's struggle to break free of ties and bindings and to exercise their own free will and also of the losses and hardships faced during this struggle
all in all ... A piece I'm glad to have witnessed
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