GUY DE JAEGHER
STATEMENT OF THE ARTIST
Initially there was the Academy that taught me the impressionism technique, the wet on wet or alla prima technique in oil painting. Those techniques who requires a fast way of working. A regular introduction to Modernism, being the common horizon of painting at those times. And that was it.
Guy Hyper-realistic painter
The classical tradition that painted rational compositions and created cool beauty had been left out, seemingly surpassing love and skills in training staff.
To me, however, it was those magnificent painters of Renaissance, including those famous Dutch “Leiden fijnschilders”, whom I increasingly patterned myself on.
Their works were primarily characterised by harmony, daring aestheticism of the composition and the incredibly detailed rendition of several objects.
I fail to name them all: from Jan Van Eyck, Rogier van der Weyden, Hans Memling, da Vinci, Pieter Claesz, Willem Heda, Willem Kalf, the young Rembrandt, Gerrit Dou, Frans van Mieris, Gabriël Metsu, Rafaël, Titiaan, Holbein up to David and Ingres, making for the last stronghold of the classical tradition.
Each of them made a profound impression on me. And I really hope they all have contributed their share to my technique.
My only aim is to equal what these formidable masters of Renaissance achieved to realise, i.e.:
“To allow the contemplator of the beautiful to enjoy”