HELEN OF TROY       by David Fugere  7/15/2014

Greek mythology records that: Paris, son of the Trojan King Priam, searched the world over in quest of the most beautiful woman. Finding her in Helen, the wife of the Greek King Menelaus, they ran away together to Troy. Helen and Paris thus are considered responsible for the Trojan War that followed. The war lasted many years resulting in multi thousands of lives lost. Agamemnon the brother of King Menelaus dispatched a thousand Greek ships to accomplish the siege of Troy and avenge Paris’s usurpation of his brother’s wife Helen. The costly war could not be won by siege, but was rather won through by the use of the stealth Trojan-Horse containing Greek warriors.                                                                                                                                                              

King Menelaus advised that no soldier was to kill Helen, he would reserve the pleasure of retribution for himself. In my painting, I attempted to depict the moment, when the king was confronted with Helen’s womanly guile. She exposed her body resulting in the King’s lustful change of heart. He returned to Greece with his unfaithful but beautiful wife Helen.  

PAINTING DETAILS: The Helen Painting took over four year in execution. The development of the concept took over two years. Many cartoon drawings and a clay scale models were needed to arrive at and develop the final pose that would best describe the details of the Mythological story. A photo session with models and costumes was performed, more cartoons drawn, rough drafts and then painting was started and abandoned for lack of a proper telling pose. Helen’s final long sought after pose was finally found in an Italian fresco. I then reassembled and photographed the models and painting was resumed. In all, the entire project took over four years and hundreds of hours. The lesson learned is; be careful what you start.

Summer of 2011 I was able to acquire long sought instructions from two competent tutors in Italy, in addition to touring most museums in Rome Florence and Venus. The picture that captured me most was Judith, by Artemisia Gentileschi and with the assistance of my talented tutor Joan Canevori I began painting a copy. I first saw the painting in Rome and we worked in Florence with a small museum-book copy. When I departed Florence for Milan the painting was unfinished. Arriving in Milan there was a show of Artemisia's works from all over the world. The Judith painting now resided in this show, as it had been moved from Rome to Milan. I was able to view it very close at eye level for hours. The show offered for sale a beautifully detailed poster of the painting, imagine my surprise to find that the poster and my painting were scaled one to one. After returning home I finished the painting with an intent to restore my painting to the croma and finish that the painting had when created in sixteen hundreds. I considered the evidence on the painting such as minute paint flaking and the effects time had on different colors using information I was able to research. Of course, we will never know if I got it correct but I made the effort up to the level of my humble skills.

Grandchildren Skyler three and Taylor four having fun.

Granson Jack three, showing Rudy who is boss! I can paint your loveones into either of these painting and reproduce them on canvass in the Giclee process. david@thebestguys.com

A 24"x36" painting I call "Dreaming"

In 2007 I finished a three year-long sought after goal, to research, stage and paint my impression of the Biblical heroin RUTH. Jessica Sandiego is the beautiful hard working model that made it all possible. The dress called a cheton was researched and made with the help of Chuck Dell, the setting was composed from scenes from Pompei.

I call it: Ruth 24"x36"  The Renaissance Revisited 

This is my painting of the British Royal Navy's Ship the Bounty as the mutineers say goodbye to Tahiti for the last time. They will sail to Pitcairn Island in a successful effort to escape the Royal Navy wrath after their mutiny and capture of the ship against Captain Bligh. I researched the ship, Bounty, all dimensions and rigging are all technically correct.

This chalk drawing after Michelangelo was a gift to Rob Ludlow The Best Guys great Internet consultant; thank you Rob for your professional work. 2009