Artists come together to givea new look to classic painting

MORE than 50 Yorkshire artists have come together to help create an unusual reworking of a classic painting.

Each of the 54 contributors have painted a small section of The Three Graces, based on the original by Antonio Paoletti (1834-1912), which shows three women being painted by an artist in a Venetian harbour scene.

The final version is a mixture of oils, mixed media, water colour, mosaic and collage measuring 3.48 metres by 2.1 metres, which reflects the contributors’ varying styles.

The project was launched in May by artist Rob Crow, who wanted to create a collaborative art project that could be used to raise money for the upkeep of amenities in the East Riding village of Bugthorpe.

Mr Crow, who also runs the village post office, said: “We wanted to do something dramatic and of high quality to raise money for our local village amenities so I asked some of the best artists in the area to take part.

“They’ve been absolutely brilliant and we couldn’t have hoped for a better result. It’s beautiful.”

The Three Graces can be seen in St Andrew’s Church, Bugthorpe, until the end of the month for a fee of 2 per person. Anyone who finds the church locked can pick up a key from the post office.

The painting will then be exhibited at Wolds Village Gallery at Bainton until mid-October.

Paoletti was an Italian portrait and genre painter who lived and worked for most of his life in Venice. His paintings largely featured scenes of people going about their daily lives, set against the backdrop of the city.

Following the exhibitions, Mr Crown would like to find a good home for the East Riding version of The Three Graces. Anyone with suggestions or bids can call him on 01759 368298.