Keeper of the Ember

Robert Meyers-Lussier · Painting - Digital Chiaroscuro Oil Painting From Family Heirloom Painting

Keeper of the Ember begins with the family heirloom tiger painting that has been part of my family since at least 1969. The tiger is transformed into a dramatic chiaroscuro oil painting in which warm amber and golden light emerge from an almost black surrounding field. Light catches the brow, muzzle, chest, haunches, paws, and curling tail before falling away into deep brown shadow. Thick, tactile brushwork gives the familiar figure physical weight, while the original posture and worried expression remain unmistakable. Instead of surrounding the tiger with a detailed setting, the painting allows illumination itself to create the space.