plate no. 3380
A gentleman in a brown coat and stock
recreation guide
This recreation guide focuses on the technical execution of a portrait in the style of Lemuel Francis Abbott, an 18th-century British portraitist. While the specific visual details of 'A gentleman in a brown coat and stock' are not described in the provided sources, the guide relies on the documented practices of oil painting from that era, particularly the methods advocated by Sir Joshua Reynolds and the principles of color contrast. The artwork is characterized by the Rococo style's attention to texture and light, executed through a layered approach involving a monochrome underpainting (grisaille) followed by transparent glazes and semi-opaque scumbles. This method allows for the rich depth of color typical of the period, particularly in rendering the brown coat and the delicate tones of the sitter's complexion.
estimated time
20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions (allowing for drying time between glaze layers)
materials
8 items
steps
4 in sequence
materials
| item | purpose | modern equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Linen canvas | Primary support, consistent with historical standards for oil painting. | Primed linen canvas |
| Lead White (or Titanium White) | Dominant white pigment for opacity and fast drying; historically essential for 18th-century portraits. | Titanium White (non-toxic alternative) |
| Ultramarine | Used in the initial monochrome underpainting alongside black and white. | Ultramarine Blue |
| Black (Ivory or Lamp Black) | Used in the initial monochrome underpainting. | Ivory Black |
| Red and Yellow earth pigments (e.g., Raw Sienna, Yellow Ochre, Red Ochre) | For glazing and scumbling to introduce warm tones into the monochrome base. | Raw Sienna, Yellow Ochre, Red Ochre |
| Linseed Oil | Primary drying oil for mixing paints and creating glazes. | Refined Linseed Oil |
| Oil of Copavia (or modern resinous medium) | Historical medium used by Reynolds for the first and second paintings to ensure flow and drying. | Liquin or Galkyd (resin-based mediums) |
| Varnish | Mixed with oil for later glazing stages to increase transparency and depth. | Dammar Varnish (used cautiously in painting medium) |
preparation
surface prep
Prepare a linen canvas with a traditional oil ground. While the sources do not specify Abbott's exact ground, the use of a white or light-toned ground is implied by the technique of glazing red and yellow tones over a monochrome, as these colors require a lighter base to appear vibrant when transparent. Ensure the surface is smooth to facilitate the fine finish expected in Rococo portraiture.
underdrawing
The sources do not explicitly describe Abbott's underdrawing method. However, consistent with the 'old masters' practice mentioned in Source 1, a loose but accurate charcoal or thinned oil sketch is likely used to establish proportions before the monochrome stage. Avoid hard lines that will show through the glazes.
underpainting
Execute a grisaille (monochrome) underpainting using only black, ultramarine, and white, mixed with oil of copavia or linseed oil (Source 1). This stage establishes the values and forms of the gentleman, his brown coat, and stock. The goal is to mentally extract red and yellow colors, painting only what remains in nature if those hues were absent (Source 1). This layer must be completely dry before proceeding.
color palette
Monochrome Base
Black, Ultramarine, White
Underpainting to establish form and value without color interference.
Warm Glazes
Red and Yellow earth pigments (e.g., Raw Sienna, Red Ochre) mixed with oil/varnish
Adding warmth to the complexion and richness to the brown coat.
Cool Scumbles
Greyed tones (mixing complements or adding white/black to reduce intensity)
Creating coldness or grey blooms in shadows, particularly in the stock or background, to contrast with warm highlights.
composition
The sources do not describe the specific composition of this painting. However, portrait painters of this era were advised to consider the harmony of contrast between the complexion and the dress/background (Source 2, Source 3). The brown coat likely serves as a neutral-to-warm backdrop that allows the sitter's face to stand out. If the complexion has a copper-red or olive tint, the brown coat (a dark, warm tone) may help heighten the complexion's brilliance through contrast of tone and complementary relationships (Source 3).
step by step
underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing
underpainting
step 01
Mix black, ultramarine, and white with oil of copavia (or linseed oil). Paint the entire figure and background in monochrome, focusing on accurate values and forms. Do not use red or yellow pigments in this stage.
Tip — Ensure the painting is quite dry before moving to the next step. This layer is the structural foundation.
Grisaille
first pass
step 02
Begin glazing with transparent coats of red and yellow tones mixed with oil. Apply these colors where they occur in nature, such as the warmth in the skin and the richness of the brown coat. Treat this like tinting an engraving with watercolors.
Tip — Glazing is a transparent coat of color. It allows the underlying monochrome to show through, creating depth.
Glazing
refining
step 03
Use scumbling (semi-opaque painting) to adjust tones. Apply greyed or broken tones over darker grounds to create coldness or grey blooms, particularly in shadows or the stock. This technique allows the underlying painting to make itself felt while modifying the color.
Tip — Scumbling tends to coldness when employed over a darker ground. Use it to balance the warmth of the glazes.
Scumbling
finishing
step 04
As mastery is gained, mix varnish with oil for subsequent glazes to increase transparency and luminosity. Refine the contrast between the complexion and the dress/background to ensure the portrait has a strong effect.
Tip — Ensure the complexion's predominant color is faithfully reproduced and enhanced by the contrast with the brown coat.
Varnish Glazing
critical techniques
Glazing and Scumbling
Glazing involves applying transparent coats of color over a dry monochrome underpainting. Scumbling involves applying semi-opaque paint over the underpainting to modify tone and create coldness or grey blooms. This method was widely practiced by old masters, including Reynolds, to achieve depth and luminosity.
Harmony of Contrast
Use the contrast between the complexion and the dress/background to enhance the portrait's effect. If the complexion is copper-red or olive, the brown coat (a dark, warm tone) can heighten the complexion's brilliance. Avoid monotony by breaking tones with grey or using complementary colors.
common pitfalls
- →Using red and yellow pigments in the initial underpainting, which violates the grisaille method described in Source 1.
- →Applying glazes before the monochrome layer is completely dry, leading to muddiness.
- →Ignoring the contrast between the complexion and the dress/background, resulting in a poor effect (Source 2).
- →Over-modeling or being too tied to the outline, which can make the portrait appear small or timid (Source 8).
- →Attempting to deceive the eye into seeing real nature rather than expressing the feeling through painted symbols (Source 5).
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 the gentleman's pose, facial expression, and the exact pattern of the stock are not described in the sources.
- ·Abbott's specific palette preferences beyond the general Reynolds method are not detailed.
- ·The exact dimensions and aspect ratio of the painting are not provided.
- ·The specific background elements (if any) are not described.
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
- ON COPYING — applied to Warning against over-modeling and smallness
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 328-331 — applied to Color contrast principles for portrait painting
- 544-547 — applied to Specific advice on complexion and dress color relationships
The Practice and Science of Drawing↗
- XX MATERIALS — applied to Philosophy of medium and avoiding mere deception
cross-referenced from
Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.
Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- part 4 — applied to Materials and pigments information
Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.
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