plate no. 5494
09. Self Portrait in Front of the Easel of Vincent Van Gogh Paris 1888 by Anthony D. Padgett 2017
Anthony Padgett, 2017
recreation guide
This artwork is a 2017 oil painting by Anthony D. Padgett, titled 'Self Portrait in Front of the Easel of Vincent Van Gogh Paris 1888'. It is classified as a symbolic painting in the Post-Impressionist style. The work engages with the history of Vincent van Gogh’s self-portraits, specifically referencing his time in Paris around 1886–1888, a period when van Gogh embraced Neo-impressionism and painted numerous self-portraits, often due to a lack of available models (Source 7). While the specific visual details of Padgett’s composition are not described in the provided sources, the work likely utilizes the traditional oil painting methods associated with the 'old masters' and Post-Impressionist techniques, such as glazing and scumbling, which were common practices for achieving depth and color harmony (Source 1). The painting serves as a symbolic dialogue with van Gogh’s oeuvre, potentially reflecting on the artist’s identity and the mirror-image nature of his self-portraits (Source 8).
estimated time
20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions
materials
7 items
steps
5 in sequence
materials
| item | purpose | modern equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Oil paints (various pigments) | Primary medium for the painting | — |
| Linseed oil | Drying oil for mixing paints and glazing; general purpose oil | — |
| Safflower or Poppyseed oil | For mixing lighter colors like white to prevent yellowing | — |
| Canvas | Support for the painting; preferred over wood for better pigment holding and resistance to cracking | — |
| Gesso or ground preparation | To prepare the canvas surface for oil application | — |
| Varnish | For final glazing and protection, mixed with oil for mastery-level glazing | — |
| Brushes | For applying paint, glazing, and scumbling | — |
preparation
surface prep
Prepare a canvas support, as canvas became the standard support in Northern Europe and Italy from the 16th century onwards, offering better resistance to cracking and pigment holding than wood (Source 5). Apply a ground layer suitable for oil painting. While specific ground recipes for Padgett are not provided, traditional oil painting practice involves preparing the surface to accept the oil medium effectively.
underdrawing
The sources do not specify Anthony Padgett’s underdrawing technique. However, traditional oil painting practice often involves an initial sketch or underdrawing to establish composition. Given the symbolic nature and Post-Impressionist style, the underdrawing may be loose or integrated into the underpainting phase. No specific evidence suggests Padgett leaves preparatory clues visible in the final work.
underpainting
A grisaille (monochrome underpainting) is likely employed, as described in traditional oil painting practice. The artist mentally extracts red and yellow colors, translating what would remain in nature if these colors were absent, creating a tonal foundation (Source 1). This grisaille should be allowed to dry completely before proceeding to glazing and scumbling.
color palette
White
Lead white (historically) or modern titanium/zinc white mixed with safflower/poppyseed oil
General use in this artist's palette; lighter colors formulated with oils that yellow less (Source 2)
Red and Yellow tones
Various red and yellow pigments
Applied via glazing and scumbling over the grisaille to introduce color, mimicking the tinting of an engraving (Source 1)
Grey
Mixed with colors to break tones
To avoid monotony and achieve harmony of contrast, especially in remote planes or to distinguish parts (Source 3)
Complexion tones
Predominating color of the complexion, potentially including brown, bronzed, or copper tones
Portraiture; avoiding the error of assuming complexions are only red and white, especially for warmer regions or specific characterizations (Source 3)
composition
The specific compositional layout of Padgett’s painting is not described in the sources. However, van Gogh’s self-portraits often depicted his face as it appeared in a mirror, meaning his right side in the image is his actual left side (Source 8). Padgett’s work, being a symbolic painting referencing van Gogh, may engage with this mirror-image convention or the thematic elements of van Gogh’s Paris period, such as the adoption of city clothes to stress middle-class background (Source 7). The composition likely aims for distinct parts through the use of contrast and grey mixing to avoid monotony (Source 3).
step by step
underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing→varnishing
underpainting
step 01
Create a grisaille underpainting, mentally extracting red and yellow colors to establish the tonal structure.
Tip — Ensure the grisaille is completely dry before proceeding.
Grisaille
first pass
step 02
Apply glazes and scumbles using oil, introducing yellow and red tones as they occur in the design.
Tip — Glazing is a transparent coat of color; scumbling is semi-opaque, allowing the underlying painting to show through.
Glazing and Scumbling
refining
step 03
Use grey to break tones and avoid monotony, especially in remote planes, to ensure distinctness and harmony of contrast.
Tip — Mix colors with grey to prevent crudity or excessive intensity, using light tones of complementary colors if needed.
Harmony of Contrast
finishing
step 04
Refine the complexion by identifying the predominating color and faithfully reproducing it, avoiding simplistic red-and-white assumptions.
Tip — Consider brown, bronzed, or copper tones for complexity and beauty, especially if depicting a specific character or region.
Portrait Color Theory
varnishing
step 05
Apply a final varnish, potentially mixed with oil, for mastery-level glazing and protection.
Tip — Use varnish and oil mixed only when sufficient mastery is gained, as per traditional practice.
Varnishing
critical techniques
Glazing
A transparent coat of color applied over a dry underpainting to build depth and luminosity, as practiced by old masters (Source 1).
Scumbling
A semi-opaque painting technique where the underlying layer shows through, useful for creating grey blooms or coldness over darker grounds (Source 1).
Harmony of Contrast
Using grey to break tones and mix colors to avoid monotony and ensure distinctness in portrait painting, particularly in remote planes (Source 3).
Fat over Lean
Layering increasingly thick layers of paint over thinner ones, a principle of oil painting that allows for effective layering and texture (Source 5).
common pitfalls
- →Applying glazes or scumbles before the underpainting is completely dry, which can lead to mixing and muddiness (Source 1).
- →Assuming complexions are only red and white, ignoring the beauty of brown, bronzed, or copper tones (Source 3).
- →Using linseed oil for white pigments, which may yellow on drying; use safflower, walnut, or poppyseed oil for lighter colors (Source 2).
- →Ignoring the principle of harmony of contrast, leading to monotony or lack of distinctness in the portrait (Source 3).
what the sources don't tell us
Where the corpus is silent, we say so rather than guess. These are the gaps a complete recreation guide would normally cover that our source passages don't.
- ·Specific visual details of Anthony Padgett’s 'Self Portrait in Front of the Easel of Vincent Van Gogh Paris 1888' are not described in the sources, such as exact clothing, background elements, or facial expression.
- ·Anthony Padgett’s specific personal technique or palette preferences are not detailed; the guide relies on general Post-Impressionist and traditional oil painting practices.
- ·The exact date and place of van Gogh’s referenced self-portraits are debated, but the guide assumes the Paris 1886-1888 context based on the title (Source 7).
- ·No information on Padgett’s use of modern materials or deviations from traditional methods.
grounded in
The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.
The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- COLOURING A MONOCHROME — applied to Underpainting, glazing, and scumbling techniques
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 328-331 — applied to Color harmony, contrast, and portrait complexion theory
cross-referenced from
Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.
Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- part 4 — applied to Materials, drying oils, and pigment properties
Wikipedia bio — Vincent van Gogh↗
- part 2 — applied to Context of van Gogh’s self-portraits in Paris
- part 1 — applied to Mirror-image convention in van Gogh’s self-portraits
Wikipedia: Portrait painting↗
- part 8 — applied to Canvas support and oil painting layering principles
Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.
tips & new artworks in your inbox
no spam — unsubscribe anytime.
or to save artworks, chat, and track progress
related guides
