Portraits

One trains in the old master style not simply by studying fine arts, portraiture and anatomy in the academic setting, but also by constantly and repeatedly creating studies of the old master originals. The Rembrandt self portrait David Pakter is copying here is one of his favorite works; the original may be found in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan, only minutes from the Old Master Portraits New York gallery.

Old Master Portraits specializes in two types of projects: executing original and contemporary portraits in the old master style; and creating exact replicas of existing, priceless masterpieces.

Original Oil Paintings in the Old Master Style

Old Master Portraits is commonly commissioned by institutions and individuals of means to execute timeless yet contemporary portraits in the old master style.

• The great great grandson of J. P. Morgan, when he wished to have a classic portrait executed of his legendary forbear, commissioned David Pakter of Old Master Portraits to create the work.
• The wife of a successful businessman commissioned David Pakter to create a portrait of herself, which she gave to her husband as a gift; she wished to give her husband a timeless image to remember her by.
• An accomplished businessman from Taiwan, wishing to surprise his great Aunt on her birthday, provided David Pakter with photographs of her. He commissioned David to execute the portrait from these photos and personally present this precious gift at her residence in Taiwan.

Whether you are based in Europe, Asia, the MENA region or Latin America- anywhere in the world- we can execute a timeless portrait for you. We enjoy working with live sitters, but are just as capable of carrying out projects from photographs alone.

Exact Replicas of Existing Masterpieces

Old Master Portraits is also frequently commissioned by a diverse range of clients and institutions to execute exacting replicas of existing masterpieces.

• An avid collector wished to place a rare Van Gogh she owned up for auction at Christies, but on the condition that Christies commission a gallery capable of creating a faithful replica for her that she could keep when she parted with her original; Christies contracted with David Pakter to create the replica.
• A Swiss collector, with a priceless collection, concerned with the danger and high insurance costs of keeping a work by Hieronymus Bosch in her private residence, hired Old Master Portraits to create a replica for her, allowing her to keep the original in a vault and display David Pakter’s replica in her home.
• 1999, the nation of Belgium, launching the 400th Anniversary of Sir Anthony van Dyck’s birth, engaged David Pakter to create a replica of the world famous altarpiece, “Saint Marten Dividing His Cloak for Two Beggars,” so that the original could be loaned to the Royal Museum for inclusion in the Retrospective.
• A direct descendant of one of Sir Anthony van Dyck’s sitters- Robert Rich, The Second Earl of Warwich- wished to have a replica created of a painting held by The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and hired David Pakter to create the replica.

If you require a faithful and exacting replica of an existing masterpiece, whether in your own possession or held in a museum collection, Old Master Portraits is available to meet your needs.

A portrait of J.P. Morgan, commissioned by the Morgan family in New York City.

A direct descendant of one of Sir Anthony van Dyck’s sitters – Robert Rich, The Second Earl of Warwich – wished to have a replica created of a painting held by The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and commissioned Old Master Portraits to create the replica.

Copy of a Rubens in the Connecticut residence of a client who wished to remain anonymous.

In 1999, the nation of Belgium, launching the 400th Anniversary of Sir Anthony van Dyck’s birth, commissioned David Pakter of Old Master Portraits to create a replica of the world famous altarpiece, ‘Saint Marten Dividing His Cloak for Two Beggars,’ so that the original could be loaned to the Royal Museum for inclusion in the Retrospective. Here David Pakter stands before the copy he created.

The majestic ‘Rinaldo and Armida,’ by Sir Anthony Van Dyck. It was this masterpiece that induced Charles I to bring Van Dyck to England and make him Principal Court Painter. The original is on display at the Baltimore Museum of Fine Art, but the replica here, created by David Pakter, is enjoyed by an avid collector and Van Dyck aficionado in his chateau outside Paris.

David Pakter, M.A., M.F.A. with two of his favorite larger Portraits in “The Frick Collection” in New York. On the left side of photo is: “The Hon. Frances Duncombe” by Thomas Gainsborough. To the right is “Anne, Countess of Clanbrassil” by Sir Anthony van Dyck. Resting on the Gallery floor, is an exquisite replica of a Musician, “Mezzetin” probably 1718–20 by Jean Antoine Watteau (French, 1684–1721). In the background, in the center of the photo, one can see a Replica by David Pakter of the famous double Portrait of “The Calmady Children” by the great English Portrait Painter, Sir Thomas Lawrence. He once claimed that of all his Portraits, “The Calmady Children”  was his favorite. The original is owned by The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.