Fountain, "Les Grandes Eaux", Versailles
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This page presents a unique painting of the fountain at Versailles during the Musical Fountains Show, offering a poetic interpretation that combines visual tradition with textual disruption. For a more realistic depiction of the same fountain, see here.
Who created this painting and when?
Nicholas Stedman painted this work in 2010.
What technique was used?
It was painted in oil on canvas, with oil sticks containing wax and an emulsified oil–varnish medium, finished with transparent layers of linseed oil, turpentine, and damar varnish.
Which series does it belong to?
This piece is part of Stedman’s Word Cycle series, where letters forming four cyclic words are cut into canvas and mounted on a heavier underlayer.
Is the work a kind of bas-relief?
Yes. The raised words create a subtle relief: they almost disappear when seen head-on, but become visible under side-lighting.
What is the subject of the painting?
It depicts a fountain in action during the “Grandes Eaux” or Musical Fountains Show at Versailles. The words “Presence – Appearance – Absence – Disappearance” echo the rhythm of the water and the fading or reappearing layers of paint disrupted by the transparent medium.
Is this painting available for purchase?
No, it has been sold to a collector in Paris. However, other works from the Word Cycle series are available through the artist.
How can I contact the artist?
Nicholas Stedman can be reached by email. Please see the contact page for details.