Every time I read one of E.T.A. Hoffmann's stories, I am amazed by his imagination and the surreal/fantastic touch of the things he wrote some 200 years ago. I particularly like his "Automaten", mechanical beings with a human appearance so real, that there always seems to be an element of magic involved...

As many of you probably know by now, my work is generally built upon a yin yang like balance between more technical male and more sensuous female aspects. Therefore E.T.A. Hoffmann's Automaten theme perfectly blends with my subject. In this painting I also tried a new approach by combining very detailed elements with contemporary "flat" areas, like the dress and the background.

The frame too combines the organic oak wood with the technical aluminum, which I also used as a sort of passepartout (mat) to make the actual painting really pop out.

I've been working on this piece since August. As always, I start with a pencil drawing on glass

Since I actually work on the reverse side of the glass, I keep turning it around as work progresses, to check it from what will be the front side in the end. That also is a good way, to double check the composition.

After the drawing is completed, I finish the painting with very thin transparent oil glazes. In a final step, the aluminum leaf is applied.

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All photos/scans by me of my own artwork done in my special technique as introduced in What is Hinterglas?