Art collectors sometimes find themselves in difficult situations.  To name a few…they loan their in-demand paintings to an exhibition and then find themselves staring at bare walls. They’ve discovered the philanthropic (and substantial tax advantages) of gifting their art to a museum, but can’t imagine living without it. A favorite canvas has become too fragile to expose to the environment and has to be put away. Or, they are blessed with multiple residences, but hate being separated from the pieces they want to look at every day. There is a state-of the-art, “have-your-cake-and-eat-it-too,” solution to each of these problems -- an enhanced digital reproduction that is a beautiful and expertly-executed stand-in for the original work. 

For years, serious collectors have relied on digital photography when creating permanent records of their collections.  Now, the digital image can be transformed from a photograph to an artistic – even painterly -- replication.  

Replications are also becoming increasingly important for the collector who owns works that are fragile. The delicate watercolor that is threatened by light can be preserved in storage, while a more durable “twin” hangs in plain sight. 

The “frosting,” so to speak, on any Lowy Digital Canvas is the frame.  A period-appropriate frame – one made of exactly the right material, and with the right patina and carving, can be created to complement a replication, completing the effect of a real work of art. 

“By marrying digital photography to techniques we use in conservation and framing -- our core capabilities at Lowy -- we are able to come up with incredible replications that are very convincing,” Lowy Senior Paintings conservator, Lauren Rich explains.  “They are not meant to fool an expert. In fact, the owner is required to formally acknowledge that the piece is a copy that will not be used unlawfully. But they do capture the look, feel, and presence of the original work and enable our clients to surround themselves with the art they love.”