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Reproductions of the Masterpieces of Western Art.


Keeping their skills honed and exercising their virtuosity is part of our artists' regime. Some have enjoyed this so much that they now specialise in this field. They delight in creating hand-crafted reproductions of old masters for appreciative clients. Artists have specialised in this sort of work for centuries. Certainly, dealers such as Goupil et Cie used to sell mainly this type of work, and were considered very avant garde to allow a small display of Impressionist canvases. Today, these are amongst the wide variety of art adroitly reproduced.

For the benefit of our regular site-visitors we frequently change some of the Old Master Reproductions depicted in our listings, thus demonstrating more fully the virtuosity of our team. Accordingly, artwork added recently may not yet have the usual informative "write-up" beneath. Don't worry! We'll soon jot down a few notes between paintings. If you would like to discover more about a particular work now please contact us and we will be happy to send you your
very own personel "write-up". In the meantime, enjoy the pretty pictures!

To find out in more detail how this highly skilled work is undertaken, read on below.
N.B. These are not prints, not photographic copies produced on some "canvas-textured" material, nor reproduced by any mechanical means. They are lovingly hand-painted, faithful reproductions by highly skilled artists.

Our artists have decades of experience. Their influences are manifold ranging from for example, the precise painterly skills of Leighton and Waterhouse, to the freer style of Peploe and co. When they aren't employing their own brand of modern realism in their own works, they may paint scenes of their travels in more sketchy styles. In short, something to suit all tastes. To find their own particular style, they have immersed themselves in the study of old masters.They consider that much of of their artistic development has been nurtured by a thorough study of the techniques of the old masters. As a consequence of this, they can acheive standards of craftsmanship and mastery of physical skills that most artists no longer possess or even aspire to. The work of our artists as been warmly congratulated by the cognoscenti.
You may have already discovered the identity of such a collector and broadcaster of art programmes elsewhere in this site. If you haven't it is also revealed amongst our listings.

How is it done?
If you would like to browse our listings now please do so. If you would like to learn some of the "ancient mysteries" of our craft, read on!

Our artists have years of experience in investigating and scrutinising the various techniques and technologies utilised by painters of centuries gone by. They examine the methods employed in applying prime coats, and the subsequent layers of paint together with the structure of brush strokes.
The artist who wll paint your copy knows his business. He will have spent a great deal of time meticulously studying minute detail of originals housed in various noteworthy collections throughout Europe. The faithful copying of a painting from an original is one of the fundamental disciplines the artist has mastered during his comprehensive study of painting techniques. Exhaustive research and modern techniques have literally put original paintings under the microscope. This has enabled those involved to determine the composition of paints and pigments, previous restoration if any, the sequence of brushstrokes and so forth. It is possible to analyse how the original artist prepared the canvas before commencing work. It will be seen if the artist did any remedial work on the undercoats, and the way he acheived the effects of illumination will also be revealed.
The preceeding analysis assists highly skilled artists to produce reproductions of high fidelity.
Very intricate and time consuming problems are also the most rewarding for our artists. Sometimes a novel approach or unique solution is necessary. These conundrums have sometimes brought work to a standstill. For instance, in a very complex composistion, containing many figures, it may not be immediately apparent in which order they were painted. Or, an intricate colour scheme may cause some head scratching for similar reasons. Maybe the answer will be found in wild chaotic fauvist brushstrokes. Or perhaps, the solution will be acheived with a delicate painterly approach combined with a precise layering of brushstrokes. Our artist's dedication to perfection demands substantial amounts of time and patience in abundance. The results speak for themselves.
We use only the finest canvas, specially chosen linen, ensuring it is most suitable to the subject.
We endeavour to make the paintings surface identical to the original. For example, it can be a highly polished ground surface totally concealing the canvas thread beneath. This is eminently suited to reproductions of originals painted on wood. Or, it can be a very thin ground, which barely covers the texture below. Another important aspect in the creation of a high fidelity reproduction is the colour of the ground. It has to match that of the artist's. If our early detective work reveals the ground of the original was coloured, then the reproduction's will be likewise. The touching and draughtsmanship will have to equal that of the painter himself. Sometimes, if appropriate, the complete likeness will be drawn in dark oil colours, or grissaille. Although this will only be seen by our artist,it is an important feature of the painting. True it will be covered by succesive layers of paint. However the end result will be all the better for it.
With skilled application and special materials the new layers can be given a delicate suggestion of hue. This enables the painter to obtain an almost fathomless depth and intensity combined to give the depiction greater volume. A mixture of transparent layers in dark areas and texture given in light portions can create stunning effects. Now at this stage, the grissaille does it's work adding depth and solidity to the composition.
This may not even be the end. When the paintings topmost layers have completly dried, and the painting is still not quite ready for shipment, the artist may if appropriate, add some finishing touches.
Like people, every work of art is different. Each new project or commision we receive is given our utmost attention. We always begin the task with a fresh approach. Our aim is to produce a faithful reconstruction of the artwork in hand. There are only minor mandatory differences, such as in most cases no signature, and as a general rule the work of artists who were living less than 50 years ago may not be copied. Obviously, these precautions are there to prevent fraudsters potentially becoming multi-millionaires by "passing off". However, as with all rules there are exceptions. Please contact us if you would like further details.
The most rewarding aspect of each project for us is the knowledge that the appreciative and cultured recipient of the painting will derive great pleasure from it. At enthusiastic, maybe rapturous first sight, and for many years to come. Our client's delight and zealous conclusions are the most rewarding part of a complicated, painstaking, but deeply satisfying proceedure. An original oil painting is one of the most exclusive possessions anyone can have, giving pride and pleasure for many years to come, as well as being a treasured heirloom, gift or investment.