Classic, talented and formational - A look at the art of Karl Lilje

With the subtlety of Vermeer in his portraiture and the passion of Dali in his more expressive work, Karl Lilje realizes the magic that potentially lies in any paintbrush.

Working mainly in oil paint, Lilje succeeds in capturing the essence of his models onto canvas in vivid colours and subtle tones. He works in the realm of realism and classicism and follows in the footsteps of the old Renaissance and Dutch masters of the 17th and 18th centuries. Was this man born into the wrong era? Or was he placed amongst contemporary, post-modern artists to show everyone the beauty and wonder of historical techniques, tones, shades and the mysteries in art and people? Read on and decide for yourself?

Using mostly the human figure as reference point, Lilje creates images of women that not only shows a keen sense of colour and proportion, but also pulls together elements from the models own personality. His models are mostly friends and new people he meets, but he also does portraits of celebrities. He effortlessly catches the essence of his subject and attains this by not only getting to know his models, but also by making sure the pose for the painting is a natural and comfortable movement for the person and not a strained arrangement held only for the painting. Planning and pre-sketches of his model form an essential part of the creation process, even forming a kind of ritual when work on a new painting is started.

An interest in the lines and geometry in architecture is evident in his drawing of Cape Town where a variety of directional lines together form a striking image of Cape Town. When asked when he started to draw and paint, Karl just replies "I never stopped". So following his initial fascination with drawing as toddler with crayons, Karl keeps creating, drawing, painting and captivating viewers of his work.

As motivated and dedicated as any artist could be he does self-study into the work and techniques of the artists that he admires. By doing imitations of the works of the great masters of antiquity Lilje learns and develops, honing his skills and attaining more artistic experience with every new brushstroke. Often mixing his own paints, Lilje keeps true to the art form and the materials he uses.  His colours are often bright and vivid, while in his more nostalgic portraits such as I Do Declare the colours are kept subtle and unobtrusive. In two of the paintings featured here red and blue are used in a contrast of cool and warm colours that not only brighten the scene depicted, but also attain a depth and richness. In Fire and Blue the colours take on the quality of chocolate and nights at the fire; while the dark sultry blue that drips down into a void in Grace acquires a dreamlike quality that reminds me of the night sky and dreams of earlier days. The striking white and red, the pose of the woman and the dress that she wears transforms the painting into a dream image that is reminiscent of the more dramatic work of the Romanticism art movement of the 18th till mid-19th century. In both paintings the richness, luminescence, and material wealth illustrated by the surroundings or furniture as well as the women's clothing reminds of the European bourgeoisie - further linking Lilje's contemporary work with our history of art, Classicism and the old masters.   
Also an avid and talented musician and designer, Lilje seems to operate in a similar way than what has been termed the "Renaissance man" - someone who is very knowledgeable and excels in a great variety of disciplines or subjects; of which Leonardo da Vinci as painter, draughtsman, engineer, musician and thinker is the starling example. Writing, music, and any activity that gives expression to Lilje's creative urges are followed without hesitance. Subsequently his work can be divided into periods or phases that illustrates his development and different experiences, while also having characteristics and techniques that stay consistent throughout his years of painting, drawing and creative expression in his home-based studio.
Even though a realist by heart, Lilje experiments with different styles and techniques to express his full range of capabilities and not limit his own expression. Also working in digital media, his work manages to create a bridge between the past and the present. The influence of the digital era is seen in his pixelism paintings, intriguing in the way that you can still recognize the portrait even though the image is made out of large pixel blocks painted onto canvas. These works prove quirky and witty in construction and subject matter, as seen in Mona 10, representing Da Vinci's Mona Lisa which is probably the best known painting that has been imitated and represented by people right across the globe.

Vivid colour and subtle colours, striking contrasts and subtle tones, traditional and digital - Lilje's art is diverse and varied, representing within it the contrasting human emotions and the essence of different time periods. The now and then, reincarnated and presented in the here and now.

See his art on his website at www.karllilje.com

---

What Others Said

---

Marisan said
on 18 December 2009

That is lovely art!!