Quote - I know the emphasis is always on doing realistic renders, but I've also been experimenting with deliberately trying to get a painterly "antique" feel with some renders and I'm finding the Reality-Luxrender pipeline giving me best results with least amount of effort.

To the contrary.. I think the emphasis would just be doing what you like.  I think we all get into this mostly to be able to visualize the images in our heads.  I occasionally like to do some painterly things, or add some wild stuff in postwork.  Most of it doesn't come off as good as I want it to; but, I'm gettin there.  Your render, though, is pretty cool.  I like the whole concept of it.  Most of my fantasy-esque renders revolve around women with some type of blade so it's right up my alley.