Mike, what do you think?
 

I think Mike will love this challenge. At least I hope so :)

I've got this (9cm x 12cm) old photo, and was commissioned to paint that old house. But the position (lining) of the fence is not clear to me. The relief of the ground area, and rough material of the fence(unmatched woods?) confuses me even more. Unfortunately my client can't help (doesn't remember), so I must decide for myself. And I am asking your help.

I did a red line (exaggerating) of possible lining of the fence, for me.
Which one do you think is more correct? I've added a close-up, so you can take your own conclusion.

Thanks in advance,

Ant

Hey Ant, thanks for the teaser.

One explanation may be:

The area of the white lined box that has the gate -- the vertical side of the box on our right may be the corner of the wooden fence. The gate within this box is light because it is open. The fence then turns 90 (maybe more than 90) degrees away from us at that corner and continues in a straight line. The top of this section of the fence may be continuous in height and the bottom varying with the terrain. That dark section you point to may be the result of the fact that their are fewer gaps in the fence to let light through. Either side of the gate is the back side of the sun.

This is my first blush explanation, I'll look some more.

Either way, I think that if the client does not remember, then you should be able to create some "plausible" explanation and go with it.

Hi Ant,
My guess would be that the fence is curved. That would explain why it looks curved in the button. You don

Allan,

I think that sounds just as plausible. I think the true reality will be difficult to depict. I would settle on whatever I thought I could paint convincingly.

Thanks for the quick reply, Mike and Allan.

Mike,
You are right, the gate is open. I thought at first that it was closed, and positioned in 90 degrees to the front of the house. Now that I see it open, I can see another fence there, behind the gate. In this image you'll see my shoot of what it could be like:
1) The sun lits the side of the house, but it's up there. Maybe the photo was taken around 2:00PM.
2) As you said, the gate is light because it is open, 90 degrees to the front wall of the house.
3) This low concrete wall casts a short shadow because it is parallel to the front of the house.
4, 5, 6) I think the wooden fence never turns 90 degrees away, or it would be light like the open gate. It takes another angle instead, and, like Allan suggested, it is in straight angle to the viewer. You can see in the terrain that the fence is casting a shadow, so the sun is behind it all the time.
7) There's another fence behind the gate, made of wooden boards. I think it prevents people from entering the house through that gate. the gate leads to the orchard.

This sounds plausible to me. And Mike, this painting will be a gift for another person of the same family, who was born in that house more than 50 years ago. I must paint it the more convincing possible, because someone in the family will certainly remember a lot about that house. Tough job again. Looks like they chase me.

Thanks again for the help, guys. If you find anything else, please let me know.

Ant

I came up to new options. The shadow that the wooden fence casts on the ground is intriguing me.
Option 1- The wooden fence is aligned with the gate, but the terrain is very irregular, causing the illusions. The top of the fence, however, matches the perspective line.
Option 2- The wooden fence goes a few meters in 45 degrees, then turns back to the same direction of the gate and the lower fence.

I guess I'll go for the 2nd one.

Ant

Hey Ant,

No. 2 looks like the more likely. Have you been able to identify what is behind the fence? It looks like something is ocupying the space where you have drawn the short wall which runs parallel, and off the corner of the face of the house.

I guess the obvious notion of doing a site visit is out of the question.

I also believe in number 2. But the sun is not that far yet,

It seems that the photographer is standing on a hill, because his eye level and the horizon is at a hight of 2/3 up in the window frames.

The fence is going downhill at least at the first 4-5 meters from the corner.

Allan

Yeah, guys, I am going with the #2. Painting already in progress.

Mike, the client's family don't owe that farm anymore. She told me even the house might not be there, because the old photo was taken as one of the last visual archives. It looks like to be from late 70's or, at latest, from early 80's.
I think there is another fence behind the fence (where your white arrow points), made of wooden boards. When the gate is open, it rests there.

Allan, you are right about the photographer being on a hill when he took the picture. The perspective line of the top of the window frames are at the same level of the vanishing point. The terrain looks very irregular indeed.

You guys helped a lot, thanks. It's interesting how we can see different things in the same photo. I am sure all our thoughts together gave it the better solution.

Cheers,

Ant

They have the right man for the job.

Good luck.

Thanks for the encouragement, Mike. You are always so kind.

Yesterday the client visited my studio to see the work in progress. She brought her sister, who tried to help remember some small things like "a tree over here", "a vine over there". By the way, the last time they saw the house, it had a large garage constructed where in the photo there is the fence and the gate. The old look is really gone. This photo is the only reference left.

Well, the good thing is that they like what I did so far, and the work is under control :)
Curiously, I am a portrait artist and rarely paint landscapes. But I wouldn't classify this as a landscape either. The client loved that old house so much, she looks so proud when she says her own father built it with his men, using natural resources, that I see this project as the "portrait of a house".

Ant

By the way, this is the painting finished. The portrait of an old house. Frankly, I prefer painting people.

Ant

I was right. Beautiful painting Ant.

It's good to remind ourselves of our roots. From time to time over the many years since I've left I've driven by the house that I grew up in in San Antonio, Texas. I keep a photo of it so that I can remind myself from time to time.

I think I can imagine how your clients feel about this image.

Again, great job.

Ant,
This is beautiful and much more alive than the photo. No wonder your clients approve of your "portrait of a house".