Pictures of paintings

A picture of a painting is not a painting; it’s a translation.

It looks like the painting, but it lacks the depth, texture, and physical qualities of the painting. Its size is different. Its edges are different. Its scent is different.

The photo is a representation, not the thing.

But we become so used to experiencing the translations — in books, in prints, on devices — that we forget we’re looking at avatars.

Find time for the originals. Seek them out. Be with them.

It’s a wholly different experience and fully worth the effort.