Artist needs help!

[Pastorale]

Dear and wise people from this forum,
I'm foreign artist and I just ADORE Ludwig van Beethoven! From everything you posted (and I was reading your forum since 2013), I learned which portraits are good and which I should forget. But I'm bothering myself with one thing. I want to illustrate Beethoven's Ninth, but I don't want to paint only his face, I want to make his substantial figure also visible
*I want to paint his body too
Can anyone describe his figure? Or send a portrait or depiction? I would be very grateful! Thanks!
Pastorale

[AeolianHarp]

Dear and wise people from this forum,
I'm foreign artist and I just ADORE Ludwig van Beethoven! From everything you posted (and I was reading your forum since 2013), I learned which portraits are good and which I should forget. But I'm bothering myself with one thing. I want to illustrate Beethoven's Ninth, but I don't want to paint only his face, I want to make his substantial figure also visible
*I want to paint his body too
Can anyone describe his figure? Or send a portrait or depiction? I would be very grateful! Thanks!
Pastorale

I am an (amateur, well mostly self taught) artist myself Pastorale- welcome to the forum and I hope you will join us in all things LvB.
This is an excellent project of yours. Can you tell me more of your idea? Will you be depicting him conducting, in the act of composing, walking, sitting down etc?

There are a few of him walking, standing etc done by artists over the years. The most important thing I would say, would be to ensure you get his height correct (he wasn't tall) and his way of standing or walking which show his character.


That would help me suggest which portraits might be of help to you. I am familiar with a lot of depictions of Beethoven.

Anyway to start you off I would look at the digital collection in Beethoven Haus:

http://www.beethoven-haus-bonn.de/si...0and%20objects

http://www.beethoven-haus-bonn.de/si...=1511&_seite=1

[Megan]

We also have our very own site Gallery, you can browse Sketches and portraits.


http://www.lvbeethoven.co.uk/page17.html

[AeolianHarp]

Yes, I forgot to mention that too Megan! Some of the sculptures of him are also very good.

[Pastorale]

Thank you! I never visited that Beethoven haus in Bonn! It is one of my dreams
Again, thanks! I'm going to try something. If you wish, I will send you the portrait when I finish. Maybe you'll like it
Thank you again!
Pastorale

[Peter]

Welcome Pastorale -I was just wondering if your project for illustrating the 9th symphony was influenced by Klimt's Beethoven Frieze?

[AeolianHarp]

I never visited that Beethoven haus in Bonn! It is one of my dreams

Same for me Pastorale.....

Again, thanks! I'm going to try something. If you wish, I will send you the portrait when I finish. Maybe you'll like it
Thank you again!
Pastorale

I would LOVE to see it Pastorale. I think it would be good to put it on photobucket or Box and link it on the forum.

Maybe you and I could start a Beethoven art thread?

I have painted some art inspired by his music, but done no portraits of him yet.

[Pastorale]

I've been researching those depictions a bit. Now I have one problem more (well, except that I look like this smiley). On some depictions, Beethoven looks very slim, on the others he is plump, than on some he's somewhere in the middle... Can anyone please tell me which is the most accurate depiction of him in 1824?

Peter, I wasn't inspired by Klimt and thank you for welcoming me on this site again.

Aeolian Harp, of course we can! Why not??? I can do portrait thing and you will add magic spark of his music

[AeolianHarp]

I've been researching those depictions a bit. Now I have one problem more (well, except that I look like this smiley). On some depictions, Beethoven looks very slim, on the others he is plump, than on some he's somewhere in the middle... Can anyone please tell me which is the most accurate depiction of him in 1824?

Beethoven was never fat. His stomach ailments ( most likely IBS) caused his stomach to swell at times- this unfortunately got worse as he got older. He was strongly built.

Aeolian Harp, of course we can! Why not??? I can do portrait thing and you will add magic spark of his music

Sounds good to me!