Meet the artists behind Birmingham’s new Renaissance murals [Photos]

(Left) The artists in front of Lady with an Ermine. (Right) Girl with a Pearl Earring. (Nathan Watson / Bham Now)

Among the many new murals that stole the spotlight in Birmingham this year, two stand out from the pack. Located along 2nd Avenue North, Lady with an Ermine and Girl with a Pearl Earring are faithful recreations of the renowned 15th- and 17th-century portraits painted by Leonardo da Vinci and Johannes Vermeer, respectively.

We met with the team behind the project—commissioner Edward Shaw and artists Shane B. and Andrew Tynes—to learn more about the murals and what to expect next.

How did downtown Birmingham become home to two Renaissance paintings?

This recreation of Johannes Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring rests on the east wall of a two-story building at 2206 2nd Avenue N. (Andrew Tynes)

The story behind Birmingham’s new Renaissance murals begins with local businessman and avid art aficionado Edward Shaw. Shaw, who owns the two-story building on 2206 2nd Ave N, saw its plain brick walls as a blank canvas deserving of a masterpiece.

“When I saw that big blank wall, I immediately thought of Johannes Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring. Plus, the dimensions of the wall were almost a perfect fit for the painting.”

Edward Shaw

A block away, Shaw sought a second piece to adorn the Denechaud House at 2107 2nd Ave N, headquarters for his company LLH Healthcare.

Lady with an Ermine portrays a Renaissance-era mistress holding an ermine (also referred to as a stoat). (Nathan Watson / Bham Now)

To help bring his visions to life, Shaw contacted Shane B. and Andrew Tynes—two artists and longtime friends who founded Mammoth Murals back in 2019. The duo has created several prominent public art installations in The Magic City (and beyond), including:

(L to R) Edward Shaw (project commissioner), Shane B. and Andrew Tynes (co-founders of Mammoth Murals). (Nathan Watson / Bham Now)

Over a period of several months, Shane and Andrew meticulously researched both paintings to determine the scale and precise colors needed for a faithful recreation.

“One of the most challenging parts to a project like this is getting the colors to match the original. Da Vinci’s Lady with an Ermine was painted with oils on a wooden panel and Vermeer painted Girl with a Pearl Earring in oils on canvas—remember, we’re working with a brick wall!”

Shane B., Mammoth Murals

Shane and Andrew completed Girl with a Pearl Earring in April and wrapped up Lady with an Ermine in November.

“It’s my hope these pieces will brighten people’s day and make them a little bit happier, or at least make them see the city if a different way than before. And that’s what art does—it changes you.

As for the Birmingham Renaissance mural series, I have about six more pieces that have always spoken to me—and I like buying buildings with big, blank walls!”

Edward Shaw

Here’s where you can see Birmingham’s Renaissance murals

Girl with a Pearl Earring on the side of 2206 2nd Ave N. (Nathan Watson / Bham Now)

Standing 34 feet tall and spanning 28 feet wide, the recreation of Johannes Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring adorns the east wall of 2206 2nd Avenue N., a historic two-story building dating back to 1902.

Mural: A recreation of Johannes Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring (c. 1665)

Location: The east wall of 2206 2nd Ave N, Birmingham, AL 35203

Dimensions: 34′ tall and 28′ wide

Artists: Shane B. and Andrew Tynes (Mammoth Murals)

Commissioner: Edward Shaw

The original Girl with a Pearl Earring was painted in oil on canvas by Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer. The painting features a mysterious, unidentified woman dressed in striking blue and yellow with a large, lustrous pearl dangling from her left ear. Sometimes referred to as the “Dutch Mona Lisa,” Girl with a Pearl Earring is currently housed in the Mauritshuis museum in The Hague, the capital city of the Netherlands.

Lady with an Ermine is located on the east wall of the Denechaud House on 2nd Avenue North. (Nathan Watson / Bham Now)

Located one block west of Girl with a Pearl Earring, the recreation of Lady with an Ermine is even bigger at more than three stories tall and nearly 32 feet wide. Lady with an Ermine was painted on the east wall of the Denechaud House, a historic property built in 1887 as a short-lived hotel and restaurant.

Mural: A recreation of Leonardo da Vinci’s Lady with an Ermine (c. 1489–1491)

Location: The east wall of the Denechaud House | 2107 2nd Ave N, Birmingham, AL 35203

Dimensions: 45′ tall and 31’6″ wide

Artists: Shane B. and Andrew Tynes (Mammoth Murals)

Commissioner: Edward Shaw

Originally painted by famed Italian artist and inventor Leonardo da Vinci, Lady with an Ermine is one of only four surviving portraits of a woman painted by Leonardo—the most famous of which is the Mona Lisa. Lady with an Ermine depicts Cecilia Gallerani, a mistress of the then-Duke of Milan, Ludovico Sforza, and is currently housed at the Czartoryski Museum in Kraków, Poland.

“I’ve always been intrigued by Lady with an Ermine and how the subject is serenely looking off to the distance—it makes you wonder what she’s thinking. Although I never quite liked the ermine portion, there’s a certain beauty that comes with the contrast.

When I saw this wall [on the Denechaud House], I knew Lady was going to go there one day.”

Edward Shaw

Which of the two new Renaissance murals do you like most? Which painting should the team recreate next—and what building should be their next canvas? Tag us @bhamnow to share your thoughts!