"I create portraits of trees instead of people."
These portraits explore various characteristics of one particular tree: the tree's
structure, the variations of light through its leaves and the colours of its bark.
Portrait of a maple tree (detail), 2019, 93 x 72 cm, gold leaf on birchwood, private collection the Netherlands
Portrait of a maple tree (detail), 2019, 93 x 72 cm, pigments in egg tempera and graphite on birch wood, private collection the Netherlands
Portrait of a maple tree, 2019, 93 x 72 cm, pigments in egg tempera and graphite on birch wood, private collection the Netherlands
Portrait of a maple tree, 2019, 93 x 72 cm, gold leaf and pigments in egg tempera and graphite on oak panels
Charlotte masters six centuries of Western European painting materials and techniques and has always been focussed on the physical side of art and how it communicates. Materials have their own specific poetry, which can be a strong tool to connect with the beholder. The reflection of gold and its glow transcend the two-dimensional plane. One has to be physically present to fully experience a work.
Scenery I (single part of diptych), 2019, 26 x 39 cm, gold leaf on oak panel
Scenery I (single part of diptych), 2019, 26 x 39 cm, pigments in egg tempera and graphite on canvas
Monochrome, 2017, 35,5 x 28,5 cm, caput mortem bound in egg tempera on oak panel, private collection the Netherlands
Scenery II (single part of diptych), 2019, 52 x 39 cm, pigments in egg tempera and graphite on canvas
Scenery II (single part of diptych), 2019, 52 x 39 cm, gold leaf on oak panel
Old master paintings turned inside out. In 2017 Charlotte made four colour compositions drawn from historical reconstructions she made for the television programme Het geheim van de Meester / Das Geheimnis der Meister. The colour compositions have similar dimensions as the historic paintings and are made out of the same materials. They show the limitless possibilities of materials and also that style and fashion are of great influence on the appearance of art. Every artist has his or her own view but also the view of the time he or she lives in. The colour compositions make visible the intrinsic beauty of a single pigment and the tactility of a painting; things that are usually overshadowed by subject matter. The series also exposes ‘hidden colours’, that in the originals have faded over time or vanished into the background by the colours they were mixed with.
Jeremiah, 2017, 58 x 46 cm, gold leaf and pigments in egg tempera on oak panels, private collection the Netherlands
Jeremiah Lamenting the Destruction of Jerusalem, 2017, reconstruction by Charlotte Caspers after Rembrandt (1630), collection AVROTROS
Minerva, 2017, 65 x 51 cm, gold leaf and pigments in egg tempera on oak panels
Minerva conquers Ignorance, 2017, reconstruction by Charlotte Caspers after Rubens (ca 1630), collection AVROTROS
“My materials bring their own story. I do not only connect to the past by using historic painting techniques, but also I often work with historic materials such as 17th century wood and writing paper. I create 'relics of time' that connect with the people that handled these materials centuries ago.”
Resonance, 2019, 38 x 43 cm, 17th century oak panel from choir bench, distemper, sand and gold leaf
Timelines, 2018, 62 x 62 cm (frame included), 17th century pine and gold leaf on oak wood, private collection the Netherlands
Brassicaceae, 2017, 67 x 30 cm, gold leaf and pigments in egg tempera on historic paper, private collection USA
Time and beyond, 2019, 40 x 54 cm (including frame), 17th century pine, oak, PCB, pigments in egg tempera and gold leaf
"Painting landscapes means exploring my surroundings, focusing on structure, colour and atmosphere. It seeks to answer the question 'Where are we?' I approach this question from different angles, originating in being trained both in the humanities and sciences. Most pigments are rendered from the earth and form a symbolic reference to the paintings' subject."
Edge of forest, 2013, 50 x 70 cm, pigments in egg tempera on handmade rag paper, private collection the Netherlands
Monochrome, 2017, 36 x 29 cm, malachite bound in egg tempera on oak panel, private collection the Netherlands
The colours of autumn, 2017, 69 x 87 cm, gold leaf and pigments in egg tempera on oak panels, private collection the Netherlands
Young beech trees, 2017, 35 x 50 cm, pigments in egg tempera on handmade rag paper, private collection UK
Monochrome, 2017, 14 x 10 cm, yellow ochre bound in egg tempera on oak panel, private collection the Netherlands
Birds are wonderful. They are like close friends and a continuous symbol within tradition. The starling and wren below are the first out of a series to be bundled in a book, so more to come!
Starling, 2017, 29 x 38 cm, gold leaf and pigments in egg tempera on handmade rag paper, private collection the Netherlands
Wren, 2017, 29 x 38 cm, pigments in egg tempera on handmade rag paper, private collection the Netherlands
