3 Dimensional Wooden Art-Maxima

3 Dimensional Wooden Art

This year it is 10 years ago that Willem-Alexander, Crown Prince of the Netherlands, succeeded his mother Queen Beatrix.
For the inauguration in the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam, Willem-Alexander was dressed in a dress suit with medals and an orange sash. With the royal mantle over it. This cloak is dark red with embroidered golden lions and an ermine pelerine.

Maxima wears an ensemble consisting of a dress with transparent sleeves and embroidery on the bodice and a royal blue cloak over the shoulders.

This outfit was designed by Jan Taminiau, one of the best Dutch clothing designers.
This beautiful royal blue creation received a lot of attention, including in the international press.

I also was very charmed by this royal outfit at the time.
Little did I know then, that almost 10 years later this image came to my mind again.
I wanted to perform this scene in 3 dimensional wooden art.

Implementation

I had already made wooden figurines before. So Maxima's stature was no problem.
The challenge was in the cloak. And to make the cloak out of wood too.

The charm of the fabric cloak is due to its top quality design, pattern, fabric and sewing skills.
A perfect, simple and supple embrace of the wearer.

My statue of queen Maxima shows you the end result, after many attempts, to make a flowing, wooden royal cape.

Conclusion:

As I reflect on this artistic journey, I am reminded of the allure that struck me a decade ago.
My 3D wooden interpretation serves as a testament to the enduring impact of exceptional design.
It is a celebration of craftsmanship and artistry, blending the realms of fashion and sculpture. In creating this wooden sculpture, I hope to share the enchantment and admiration I felt for the royal attire, bringing a tangible and timeless representation of elegance to those who appreciate the intersection of art and history.

Body

The regal posture of this 3 dimensional wooden art statue is reflected in the upright position of the body with the head proudly raised and the gaze directed forward.
On the head a diadem with matching earrings. A matching brooch on the mantle.

Cloak

In order to give the mantle flexibility, it was clear to me from the outset that the mantle had to consist of separate parts that had to be connected again.
Several attempts followed with different wooden shapes and iron wire in different thicknesses.

In the end I made my own "pattern" for the cloak out of paper. One shoulder piece, 2 front pieces, 2 side pieces and 2 back pieces.
By subdividing these pieces and then sawing them out of wood, I had the necessary "fabric"for the cloack of my 3 dimensional wooden art.
Croching them together with very thin wire did not give the desired result. Using slightly thicker metal rings did.

When considering whether or not to paint the wood a royal blue, I chose to leave the statue in a natural color.
With the exception of a very light blue haze on the front near the hem.

This to make the blue color in the jewelry, the shoe and the connecting rings stand out better.

As a public figure, the spotlight is always on Queen Maxima. As a result, she stands on a stage, as it were. Her actions are under a magnifying glass and she receives both positive and negative criticism. This is reflected in the plinth with smooth and coarse spots on the surface.

To determine what the plinth should look like, I first made several test setups.

Sizes total 3 dimensional wooden art Maxima
high 42 cm
wide 16 cm
deep15 cm

figurine

high 29 cm
wide 14 cm
deep 12 cm

Materials 3 dimensional wooden art Maxima

pine wood
beech wood sphere
glass beads
pins
gold leaf
wooden shoe
blue iron wire