Look closely. This reproduction of the Study for the Angel in the Virgin of the Rocks is painted on pastillage (sugar-based dough) using melted down cocoa butter and cocoa for the shading. If you think that’s impressive, wait until you see the frame. You won’t believe that the entire work of art is 100% edible!
Sara Trull has been working in the pastry kitchen of the Williamsburg Lodge for less than a year and told us this is by far her favorite project. In addition to her work for Colonial Williamsburg, Sara also owns her own cake decorating business, CourtHouse Cake Company. Given her experience, talent, and attention to detail—Executive Chef Rhys Lewis knew she’d be the perfect candidate to re-create one of Leonardo da Vinci’s most famous pieces…. using chocolate as her paint.
At first Sara admits she was extremely nervous when Chef asked for her help. She’s done plenty of paintings over the years but tells us never one like this. We’ve been following her progress from the very beginning. Sara’s first step was to take the brochure featuring the Muscarelle Museum of Art’s exhibit and try sketching it with a pencil. When she saw how impressed Rhys and her co-workers (including us) were with the result—she felt confident to move on to the real stuff. But how exactly does one paint with chocolate?
Sara says she melted down cocoa butter and mixed it with a little cocoa until it became close to the consistency of oil paint. Then using her brush, she did the painting all over again, this time using pastillage as her canvas. She was able to shade and scrape the chocolate to get the same effects as if she were using a pencil. She then created the frame and its ornate scrolling detail using modeling chocolate. The final touch was another coat of “paint”—this time made of edible gold.
The only portion of this masterpiece you can’t eat is the back board used for extra support so it can be displayed upright on an easel for the big dessert reception. The entire project took about ten hours and a couple pounds of chocolate and proves art comes in many different shapes and forms.
Would you like to see this amazing chocolate portrait for yourself? Colonial Williamsburg has teamed up with the Muscarelle Museum of Art for an exclusive weekend that includes a three-course Italian dinner with wine pairings, an after-hours tour of Leonardo da Vinci’s exhibit, and of course the amazing dessert reception!
The event is March 20 -22 and it promises to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for many. That’s because the exhibit is only making two stops in the United States, and we’re one of them. Find out how you can make your reservations by clicking here. And if you’re still not convinced, watch what happened when our own Thomas Jefferson went to see what all the buzz is about!
Wow that it quite something Sara. You have done so well keep going.
Best wishes. From Lilian. xx