plate no. 3885
A Horse in Marseille
Albert Marquet, 1916
recreation guide
Albert Marquet’s 'A Horse in Marseille' (1916) is a cityscape executed in oil, situated within the Post-Impressionist style. While the specific visual details of this particular canvas are not described in the provided source passages, Marquet is historically known for his sensitive handling of light and atmosphere in urban and coastal scenes. The recreation of this work relies on general principles of oil painting technique, particularly the use of glazing and scumbling to achieve tonal depth and color harmony, as well as the management of color contrast to create spatial coherence. The process emphasizes building up transparent layers over a monochrome underpainting to simulate the luminous quality characteristic of the period.
estimated time
20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions (allowing for drying times between glaze layers)
materials
5 items
steps
6 in sequence
materials
| item | purpose | modern equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Oil paints (Ultramarine, Black, White, Yellow Ochre, Red Ochre, Vermilion) | Primary pigments for underpainting and glazing | — |
| Linseed oil or Oil of Copavia | Medium for mixing paints and creating transparent glazes | Stand oil or refined linseed oil |
| Varnish | Mixed with oil for final glazing layers to increase transparency and flow | Dammar varnish or synthetic resin varnish |
| Canvas or linen support | Surface for painting | Primed linen or cotton canvas |
| Brushes (various sizes, including flat and filbert) | Application of underpainting, glazing, and scumbling | — |
preparation
surface prep
Prepare the canvas with a standard oil ground. While Marquet’s specific ground preparation is not detailed in the sources, the technique described involves working over a dry monochrome base. Ensure the surface is smooth enough to allow for transparent glazing without excessive tooth that might break the glaze layer.
underdrawing
The sources do not specify Marquet’s underdrawing method. However, consistent with the glazing technique described, a light, non-oily underdrawing (e.g., charcoal or thinned paint) is recommended to establish the composition of the horse and Marseille cityscape elements before applying the monochrome underpainting.
underpainting
Create a grisaille (monochrome underpainting) using black, ultramarine, and white mixed with oil of copavia or linseed oil. This step establishes the tonal values of the scene, mentally extracting red and yellow colors to focus on form and light (Source 1). Allow this layer to dry completely before proceeding.
color palette
Ultramarine/Black/White
Ultramarine, Ivory Black, Lead White (or Titanium White)
Grisaille underpainting to establish tonal structure (Source 1)
Yellow/Red Tones
Yellow Ochre, Vermilion, Cadmium Yellow
Glazing and scumbling layers to introduce color warmth and local color (Source 1)
Neutral Grays
Complementary color mixes or black/white
Scumbling over darker grounds to create coldness or gray blooms (Source 1)
composition
The sources do not describe the specific composition of 'A Horse in Marseille.' However, Marquet’s cityscapes typically balance architectural elements with atmospheric sky. When composing, consider the law of simultaneous contrast: juxtaposing tones of the same color will naturally produce chiaroscuro effects, where the lighter band appears heightened and the darker band enfeebled, creating a true gradation of light (Source 2). Use this principle to harmonize the inherent colors of the cityscape with chosen atmospheric tones.
step by step
underpainting→drying→refining→finishing→glazing→scumbling
underpainting
step 01
Mix black, ultramarine, and white with oil of copavia or linseed oil. Paint the entire composition in monochrome (grisaille), focusing on light and shadow values without using red or yellow hues.
Tip — Mentally extract red and yellow colors to focus purely on tonal structure (Source 1).
Grisaille
drying
step 02
Allow the grisaille underpainting to dry completely. This is critical for the subsequent glazing steps to adhere properly without muddying the underlayer.
Tip — Ensure the surface is hard to the touch before applying glazes.
Drying
refining
step 05
As mastery increases, mix varnish with oil for subsequent glaze layers to enhance transparency and flow. Adjust color harmony by considering simultaneous contrast: ensure that juxtaposed tones create the desired gradation of light.
Tip — Be aware that juxtaposing flat tints of different tones will naturally heighten the lighter and enfeeble the darker, creating chiaroscuro (Source 2).
Varnish Glazing / Simultaneous Contrast
finishing
step 06
Review the color modifications. If colors have shifted in hue due to darkening with black, correct by adding complementary colors or adjacent hues to restore the intended hue without shifting it further.
Tip — Darkening with black can shift yellows/oranges toward green/blue; use complements to neutralize without hue shift (Source 3).
Color Correction
glazing
step 03
Apply transparent coats of yellow and red tones using oil as a medium. Treat this layer like tinting an engraving with watercolors, allowing the underlying grisaille to show through.
Tip — Glazing is a transparent coat of color that modifies the tone beneath it (Source 1).
Glazing
scumbling
step 04
Apply semi-opaque layers of paint (scumbling) over darker areas to introduce coldness or gray blooms. This technique allows the underlying painting to make itself felt through the semi-opaque layer.
Tip — Scumbling over darker grounds tends to produce coldness and gray effects (Source 1).
Scumbling
critical techniques
Glazing
Applying transparent coats of color over a dry monochrome underpainting to build up luminosity and color depth without obscuring the tonal structure.
Scumbling
Applying semi-opaque paint over darker grounds to create coldness, gray blooms, and textural variation while allowing the underlayer to influence the final appearance.
Simultaneous Contrast
Utilizing the juxtaposition of tones to naturally create gradations of light and chiaroscuro, ensuring that adjacent colors harmonize rather than clash.
common pitfalls
- →Applying glazes before the underpainting is completely dry, which can lead to muddying and loss of transparency (Source 1).
- →Darkening colors by adding black, which can cause unwanted hue shifts (e.g., yellows shifting toward green/blue) instead of using complementary colors to neutralize (Source 3).
- →Ignoring the effects of simultaneous contrast, leading to flat or discordant color relationships instead of harmonious gradations of light (Source 2).
- →Using too much medium in early layers, which can prevent proper drying and compromise the stability of subsequent glazes (Source 4).
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 'A Horse in Marseille' (e.g., exact pose of the horse, specific buildings in Marseille) are not described in the sources.
- ·Marquet’s specific brushwork style or stroke direction is not detailed in the provided passages.
- ·The exact ratio of varnish to oil for Marquet’s final layers is not specified, though general practice is cited.
- ·Preparation of the canvas ground specific to Marquet’s 1916 practice is not covered.
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 (grisaille), glazing, and scumbling techniques
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 6. Put beside each other two flat tints... — applied to Composition and color harmony via simultaneous contrast
cross-referenced from
Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.
Wikipedia: Color theory↗
- Color theory — part 6 — applied to Color mixing and correction of hue shifts
Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- Oil painting — part 4 — applied to Materials and medium properties
Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.
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