Poe Sits for Portrait

  What if Edgar Allan Poe had sat for his portrait to be painted? What if I happened to be the artist he chose to paint his portrait? Lofty goals yes, but this is what I wanted Poe's portrait to convey in it's final form. 

  There had to be something different that was captured other than copying his likeness from one of the daguerreotypes Poe had sat for over the years. Looking at his handful of photographic likenesses I had wondered if part of Poe's expression was from the anticipation of holding perfectly still and waiting for a blinding flash of light. Imagine, you are told not to blink, not to breathe and for wait for an explosion of light that would blind you temporarily. What would you look like perhaps? Could you look natural?

Daguerreotype of Poe, 9 November 1848 ~ Richard Gimbel Collection, Philadelphia Free Library

  The daguerreotype above is what I had settled on as the sitting I would most focus my painting's likeness upon. Since Poe died in 1849 the image above would be one of his last, a good starting point for a likeness. Now how to add an element of his genius without an image of a raven superimposed or intertwined in his hair? Perhaps it was in conveying a level of humanity and sensitivity in his likeness.

Sketch of Poe - Painting study - by Maxx

  The sketch above was an early study I drew of Poe's likeness. In studying the sketch I decided not to knit his eyebrows in look of anguish or consternation in the final painting. This was what I see in other drawings and paintings - for my final piece this needs to be avoided. 

  Next blog post will focus on influences in color and style for the portrait.