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studying in Italy, Filadelfo moved to
Paris and from 1874 to 1878 studied
in the studio of Jean-Léon Gérôme.
In 1888, he was appointed professor,
and in 1910 appointed director of the
painting department at the Accademia
of Florence.
Nerina Simi’s palette is a simple
rainbow palette with about 12
colors. Simi wanted us to work on an
absorbent surface so the brushstrokes
are preserved. Furthermore, everything
was painted from life observation
and entirely without medium; the
individual brushstrokes model the
image. The apparent simplicity of the
Simi method is deceptive; it’s preceded
by years of drawing study. In order
to suggest depth and spaciousness
tonality (the value of a color) is
actually more important than the color
itself. At Studio Simi, knowledge of
these values was extensively studied
through charcoal drawings. Once
this knowledge had been acquired by
drawing, one could continue painting.
In painting, tonality must be translated
into color, not always an easy task.
When I speak of “acquiring
knowledge of tonality,” I don’t mean
theoretical knowledge, but knowledge
gathered through observation and
drawing. Knowledge accumulated in
both mind and body. It requires time
and lots of practice.
When I came to study at Studio Simi
in Florence in 1976, Simi was already
a very old lady. After enrolling in the
Academy of Fine Arts in Florence in
1909, she learned her trade mainly from
her father in the international Atelier,
Studio Simi, which was in their home
in Florence. Her painting practice stems
directly from the 19th-century tradition.
She ignored later developments in the
(modern) art world.
However, I was confronted with the
chaos of modern art. As a young artist
at the art academy in the Netherlands,
confronted with the chaos of modern
art, I seriously lost my way. Simi’s
lessons were just what I needed, and
in a short time I was able to do things
that had previously been impossible for
me, even after years at the Academy
in Holland. I remember the enormous
inner liberation I experienced on
discovering I could draw correctly from
observation. I stayed in Florence at
Studio Simi for eight years; for four of
these years, for half a day, five days a
week, I taught drawing and painting.
Last year, in 2018, the Drents
Museum in Assen, Netherlands,
presented a retrospective of my work,
looking back on a successful 30-year
professional practice during which
I have been able to dedicate all my time
to painting. In a frequently hostile (art)
world this was not always easy. Often
the only way to follow my own path
and continue to develop my own style
was by seeking isolation.
What inspires me above all else is
nature, and in particular, vegetation. In
fact, I treat the landscape as if it were a
still life—a still life that I inhabit along
with natural objects.
Fortunately for me in the 1990s in
Holland an interest in contemporary
realism began to develop. At first only
a few galleries specialized in realism,
but the number grew rapidly. Now,
thankfully, better times have arrived and
we’re seeing a worldwide renaissance of
skill-based, realistic, representational,
classical (call it what you will) art.
I have experienced what good
instruction can do; what an enormous
liberation it can bring about and how
it can open the door to a fulfilling
skill-based painting practice. That’s
why in the coming years, following the
example of my own highly esteemed
teacher, I want to offer a few young
people the opportunity to receive
instruction as an apprentice. As soon as
my upcoming exhibitions are over, this
is what I’ll be focusing on.
Pharos, oil on panel, 25 x 50 cm (10 x 20")
In ancient times Pharos was the lighthouse that stood before the coast of Alexandria in Egypt. In this painting the bright yellow of the quince stands as
a beacon of light and color amid other less resplendent natural objects.
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