Velvet paintings are almost always associated with Elvis Presley. Some may find them a little too tacky or may even be a standard for lack of taste in art, but believe it or not, the art of black velvet painting has a rich history of its own.
Tackiness aside, velvet artworks may be admired for its natural lush texture , as well the fantastic contrast brought about by the black velvet and paint making it look like the entire artwork glows when displayed with proper lighting.
These velvet wonders date back from the 14th century when Marco Polo found samples of this art in Kashmir. It was also popular in Persia in floral and abstract motifs depicting religious Islamic traditions. When it was brought to Europe, the rich textures of velvet artworks became highly-suitable for furnishings, tapestry and even luxurious fashion.
By the 19th century, it became a form of oriental painting, popular among demure, aristocratic ladies, specializing in landscapes and still life subjects. The velvet painting charm somehow wore off when during the 1950's, the art market got way too saturated by mass-produced Elvis paintings -- either that or of Jesus Christ or dogs playing pool.
Fortunately, there is one artist who saw the potential in the combination of black velvet and paint and the textures they can bring out. From 1933 to 1953, Edgar William Leeteg, known to be the American Gauguin, lived in Tahiti and painted Tahitian beauties.
Leeteg's velvet masterpieces depict the innocence and beauty of the native women's bodies, as well as the landscape. Having such interesting and artistic subjects, Leeteg was able to bring the velvet painting charm back into the art, somehow giving us a new way of looking at this ancient, rich art form changing its image from tacky to just plain rich.
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