Still life with eggs in a dish, jug, pitcher and glass - Wil Smits

The Eindhoven artist Wil Smits (1941) has almost exclusively painted still lifes for over twenty years. In doing so, he follows the long tradition of the genre in the Netherlands and Belgium. Although the old masters serve as inspiration, he forms the motifs himself with all kinds of antique objects from his collection. Its detailing in the highly realistic depictions is astonishing. In this way, Will Smits bridges the gap between modern and historical painting with his canvases.
 For the refinement of his personal painting style, he was apprenticed to the then regionally famous painter Pierre Jacobs, who further developed his realistic working method. There he learned the basic principles for portraying landscapes, hunting scenes, self-portraits and still lifes.
 The definitive transition to still life received a decisive impulse after the meeting with the well-known artist Cornelis Le Mair, who confirmed Smit's passion and talent. Especially the structured portrayal and composition of the Eindhoven fine painter is fascinating. Smits builds up his realistic works of art with infinite patience, perfect brushwork and fabric expression. Perspective and lighting are of rare quality. Although inspired by older masters such as Willem Claesz Heda and Willem Kalf, his work retains a completely individual and contemporary appearance.
 The use of color by Wil Smits is also lighter than on canvases by earlier masters. The scenes are also tidy and orderly, less exuberant and lavish. The carefully placed bottles, bowls, plants or fruits are depicted in detail with the smallest brush against mostly uniform backgrounds. Material structure and light reflection cannot be rendered more realistic. This much depth in an image is hardly feasible photographically. Wil: I also look for new objects for my paintings, but usually end up with utensils from earlier years. I like to combine old and new things. Over the years I have developed my own individual still life style.
 In his canvases Wil Smits consciously distances himself from the deeper symbolism that was pursued by old masters with the aim of reminding us of the transience of earthly things. His main objective is to portray the self-composed compositions as realistically as possible. And that still life specialist Wil Smits succeeds in an inimitable way. Hence the interest in his work at home and abroad.