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About Judy
Expertise
I can answer ALL questions related to watercolor paintings, except appraisal or artist identification. I can answer general questions about oil, acrylic, Chinese painting, and other media. I am NOT an art appraiser at all for any kind. I can only answer questions in aspects of materials, techniques, and critiques. I do NOT have the access to records of auction, painting pricing, or artist files & works, unlike art gallery dealers or art appraisers. I would not know how much an art piece is worth, but I am only an expert in the "art form" but nothing to do with VALUE.

Experience
Professional watercolorist for decades. Knowledgeable about all media, but not in value or pricing.

Education/Credentials
BFA in Fine Art, Painting MA in Art

You are here: Experts > Arts/Humanities > Visual Arts > Painting > what is it?

Painting - what is it?

Expert: Judy - 10/28/2009

Question

Knight

Hi Judy,

I hope you are well. I have a picture of what appears to be a knight holding a spear...i think the word at the bottom of the picture is Tanzania. The knight is raised up on the picture(3 D style) It is made out of what appears to be ceramic or glass. It looks very old.I hope you can point me in the right direction. Take care, Lisa

Answer
Hi, Lisa,

The knight you referred to is clearly indicating a Swiss guard with the official dress uniform consist of blue, red, orange and yellow with a distinctly Renaissance appearance. While usually attributed to Michelangelo, Commandant Jules Repond (1910-1921) created the current (the one your have) uniforms in 1914. Thus, this was created long after 1914. It does actually not look old to me at all. I think that the glaze makes it look antique like.

This kind of art form is called "relief." A relief is a sculptured artwork where a modelled form is raised, or, in a sunken-relief, lowered, from a plane from which the main elements of the composition project (or sink). Reliefs are common throughout the world. They are seen on the walls and doors of monumental buildings, vases, or as individual works. There are bas-relief (low relief) as an example of the frieze in the classical Corinthian order, and alto-relievo (high-relief) as an example of the pediments of classical temples like the Parthenon.

I am not familiar with the artist Tanzania. I am not sure even if it is a country name or an artist. It can be both or either.

It seems to be ceramic, and the glaze looks like being painted after the clay being fired, or being double fired after glazing.

Hope this helps

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