Genuine Fakes: Monet in Venice | John Myatt
From the majesty of the San Giorgio Maggiore at sunset to pastel reflections bouncing off the Grand Canal, Venice has been captured in all its romantic glory by John Myatt in this 2022 addition to his Genuine Fakes collection. Showcasing the British artist's unbelievable talent for emulating the work of art history's masters, Genuine Fakes has inspired a book and upcoming film about John Myatt, and his latest artistic instalment sees the former forger capture Claude Monet's work in Venice. The limited edition stretched canvases are bespoke framed in a Rococo style and hand-embellished to create a realistic and classical touch to any space. Learn more about Monet's inspirations and John's interpretations below.
Monet in Venice
Ground-breaking Impressionist artist Claude Monet (1840-1926) visited Venice in the Autumn/Winter of 1908; relatively late in his career. Combining his immense talent for conveying bodies of water, as seen in his Water Lilies series, with bold architectural styles, the mere 37 canvases which he produced there are now considered some of his best-known and loved works. Critically acclaimed across the world, most reside in prestigious museums and private collections with one such piece ‘Le Grand Canal et Santa Maria della Salute’ selling at auction for £45 million in May 2022.
Artist John Myatt chose to interpret this crucial body of work because he regards it to be "the last of Monet's great painting campaigns" as well as the artistic difficulty of the subject matter; noting: "the autumn light reflected on and off the water that [Monet] was trying so hard to capture [...] having been there myself I know how hard this can be". He also travelled to Venice to follow in Monet's footsteps and truly capture the essence of the original paintings.
"It is one thing to study Monet’s painting at first-hand, in a gallery perhaps, and look at the way he blended colour and tone, but it’s something else to stand where he stood and see what he saw and painted [...] Venice is still the Venice that he would have seen. Exactly the same, nothing has changed. The Palazzo Dario cursed and haunted by ghosts. The views from the roof-top to San Giorgio Maggiore and Santa Maria della Salute. The Grand Canal, the Doge’s Palace, and more. It was fascinating to see Venice through my own eyes and, in a way, through his eyes too."-John Myatt.
Immensely talented and internationally acclaimed, contemporary artist John Myatt, who was involved in what Scotland Yard described as ‘the biggest art fraud of the 20th century’, has skilfully interpreted Monet’s work in these five limited edition artworks so that they evoke the same dream-like quality and iconic Venetian scenery as Monet’s originals that shook the world.
'The Palazzo Dario in the style of Claude Monet, 1908'
Rather than focusing solely on water as he did in his iconic Water Lilies series, Monet restricted the water of Venice to the bottom half of the canvases and focused equally on the architecture of the city. Beautifully contrasting the soft swathes of the rippling water, the bold architectural styles of Venice are accentuated; from the elegance of its Neo-classical buildings to the striking curves and arches of the Gothic Revival (as seen in the Palazzo Dario).
Featured art: 'The Palazzo Dario in the style of Claude Monet, 1908' by John Myatt, £1595. Limited edition, hand-embellished stretched canvas.
'The Grand Canal Venice in the style of Claude Monet, 1908'
Even in 1908 Venice was a bustling tourist destination, but Monet stylistically chose to convey his scenes totally devoid of people. In contrast to many of his London and Parisian paintings where he used his impressionist style to convey bustling crowds, his Venetian paintings evoke a dream-like quality aided by the fluid brushtrokes of oil paint in soft yet vibrant tones.
Featured art: 'The Grand Canal Venice in the style of Claude Monet, 1908' by John Myatt, £1595. Limited edition, hand-embellished stretched canvas.
'Sunset At San Giorgio Maggiore In The Style Of Claude Monet, 1908'
The beauty and desirability of Monet's few Venice paintings was perhaps most perfectly captured by the 1999 film 'The Thomas Crown Affair' starring Pierce Brosnan and Rene Russo. Billionaire Thomas Crown (played by Pierce Brosnan) stole the painting 'San Giorgio Maggiore at Dusk' by Monet from The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Its richly coloured sky, that intermingles with the warm ripples of the canal, are contrasted by the dominating silhouette of San Giorgio Maggiore's iconic church.
Featured art: 'Sunset At San Giorgio Maggiore In The Style Of Claude Monet, 1908' by John Myatt, £1595. Limited edition, hand-embellished stretched canvas.
Featured art: 'The Palazzo Dario in the style of Claude Monet, 1908' by John Myatt, £1595. Limited edition, hand-embellished stretched canvas.
Featured Artist
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We are delighted to present two new pieces from the acclaimed John Myatt, famous for his works in the style of some of the greatest masters. These are two limited edition pieces in the manner of Impressionist Claude Monet, based on works he created at his iconic garden at his home in Normandy, with the series titled Monet in Giverny.Thank you for signing up to our newsletter.
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