Margret E. Short Fine Arts

Portland, Oregon artist Margret Short - a modern day master of 17th Century Dutch art using the chiaroscuro technique to create still life and floral paintings.

Egypt

Khepri’s Journey

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Khepri’s Journey Sold 14x14  Oil on Linen © Margret E. Short 2009, OPA, AWA Lessons from the Pharaoh’s Tomb Lawrence Gallery, Portland, Oregon  September & October 2009 As said before, when delving into a colorful history of any culture, you never know what will be unearthed. I just couldn't resist using the motif of the stunning … [Read more...] about Khepri’s Journey

Arsenic in the Stew

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        Orpiment, shown above in its natural form and also pigment form, was widely used in Egypt during and after the 18th dynasty, about 1500 BC. During this period the very progressive and successful female pharaoh, Hatshepsut, was in power. It is thought that she initiated trade with other countries and the use … [Read more...] about Arsenic in the Stew

Mummy Tales

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Last week, a follower of this blog, Christine Debrosky, wrote and asked if I had ever read anything about a pigment called, mummy yellow, or mummy brown. Well, I have, and this is probably the most bizarre and creepy pigment story yet. In her book, Colors, Anne Verichon says that in ancient Egypt mummy yellow was sacred because it was made from … [Read more...] about Mummy Tales

Sneak Peeks from the Pharaohs

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Well, it's time for the big reveal of a few of the initial works completed in the last weeks using  colors from the pharaoh's tombs. As mentioned before this pigment project has been more of a challenge than the Dutch themed one. The most important issue is there are fewer colors and even fewer vibrant ones. This detail below is from … [Read more...] about Sneak Peeks from the Pharaohs

Ready for the Afterlife

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Linen played an important role in mummification and the process was diverse, changing throughout the centuries. After the body and its important parts were prepared, it was wrapped with many layers of linen in varying ways. In the early period each limb, finger, and toe was wrapped individually, coated in resin, and moulded in plaster. During the … [Read more...] about Ready for the Afterlife

Going Upriver

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The Nile has always played an integral role in the lives of Egyptians, and the ancients had a unique way of interpreting stories of the river. It is the longest river in the world flowing 6695 kilometers (4184 miles) from the eastern interior to the Mediterranean Sea. The sources are Lake Victoria in Uganda and Lake Tana, in Ethiopia. The most … [Read more...] about Going Upriver