The Picturalist On The Merits of Quality Reproductions

Roy Caro Cohen is no stranger to the design industry. For 12 years, he ran a designer showroom that offered furnishings from Julian Chichester, Hickory Chair, Visual Comfort and Kelly Wearstler to name a few. During that time, he observed a hole in the market. There was really cheap art and very expensive art, but not much in between. The low-quality pieces did not match the caliber of the furnishings and the one-of-a-kind works by known artists were often out of reach. Then, there was the issue of framing. He’d exhibit something in a gold frame and the client wanted silver; they’d have to wait 12 weeks to get the piece as they truly wanted it. 

So, Caro Cohen began The Picturalist, dedicated to creating top-quality reproductions of some of today’s most compelling artists’ work. All Picturalist pieces are digitally printed using archival ink, offered in multiple framing options (including UV protective glass), and ready to ship within 10 business days. Now, the designer buying the aforementioned furniture lines has a place to go for art pieces that are just as compelling. And, despite the ongoing supply chain crisis, they can rest assured these pieces will arrive in a timely manner. 

As designers, we insist on a particular level of quality all the time, but since we must know a little bit about so many different things from Martindale rubs to Kelvins, there are times when we simply don’t know what distinguishes one level of quality from another. Caro Cohen says we can think about print quality just as we think about the difference between listening to a digital audio file and listening to a vinyl record. Purists may prefer the record; with its added scratches, it is interesting in its own way, but it does not exactly replicate the original audio. If you want to feel like you are seated in front of the orchestra on the very evening of your favorite concert, you are going to prefer a digital recording. With an ink jet digital print, the colors are being reproduced exactly as they appeared on an original work. “Now,” Caro Cohen admits, “a reproduction of a painting with heavy brush strokes will be missing its third dimension, but in this case, I think it’s best to be honest and print it on paper, rather than trying to create faux-strokes that may represent a departure from the feeling of the original.” 

Some art suppliers commission new work just to increase their offerings, which often results in pieces that may be too bland or too colorful and overwhelming. Caro Cohen knows there are so many great artists out there that just haven’t found the means to communicate their work with the rest of the world; there’s no need to commission something subpar. While he does follow what the world’s top galleries are showing, he often falls in love with someone’s work via Instagram. He’ll message an artist directly to see if they’re interested in a licensing deal. From there, all The Picturalist needs is high-resolution images to bring a piece to market. 

One of the most satisfying parts of Caro Cohen’s job is working with a new artist who asks what colors and subjects sell well. He’ll give them an answer and they go back to the studio, interpret that information through their own lens and return with a best-seller. He gets to watch artists become themselves by learning about their buyer. He adds, “while not all designers follow trends, some do and they want to have pieces with at least one color that will play well with their scheme. If an artist wants to sell, it makes sense for them to at least be aware of what color trends are coming.” 

To the interior designer, anxious to specify compelling pieces to someone who just wants flowers, Caro Cohen says, “respect yourself, know what you want and know why you were hired. If the client is scared, you need to convey to them why a particular piece is right for the room, even if the answer may be that it introduces dissonance.”