plate no. 1925
A portrait of Dmitry Rovinsky
Vladimir Makovsky, 1894
recreation guide
Vladimir Makovsky’s 1894 portrait of Dmitry Rovinsky is a work of Russian Realism, a style in which Makovsky held a leading position as a founding member of the Association of Travelling Art Exhibitions (Source 7). While the specific visual details of Rovinsky’s attire or expression are not described in the provided sources, Makovsky’s general practice during this period involved a shift toward more 'gloomy' and serious works, moving away from the humorous folk scenes of his earlier career (Source 7). The painting likely adheres to the realist tradition of capturing a convincing likeness, a skill that took centuries for artists to master and which Makovsky would have refined through his academic training at the Moscow School of Painting (Source 7, Source 8).
estimated time
20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions
materials
5 items
steps
5 in sequence
materials
| item | purpose | modern equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Oil paints (pigment + drying oil) | Primary medium for the painting | Modern tube oil paints mixed with linseed or walnut oil |
| Linseed oil | General purpose drying oil for mixing paints | Refined linseed oil |
| Safflower, walnut, or poppyseed oil | Mixing lighter colors like white to prevent yellowing | Light-bodied oil mediums or specific light-color formulations |
| Canvas or linen support | Surface for painting | Primed linen or cotton canvas |
| Siccatives (optional) | To accelerate drying time if needed | Commercial drying agents |
preparation
surface prep
Prepare a linen or canvas support, consistent with the historical use of linen as a 'support' for oil painting (Source 3). The surface should be primed to accept oil paints. While specific ground colors for Makovsky are not detailed in the sources, traditional realist practice often involved a neutral or toned ground to facilitate the assessment of values and colors.
underdrawing
The sources do not specify Makovsky’s underdrawing technique for this specific portrait. However, as a trained academician and professor at the Moscow Art School (Source 7), he likely employed a precise underdrawing to ensure the 'realism' and 'likeness' characteristic of the genre (Source 8). A charcoal or thinned oil sketch would be appropriate to establish proportions before applying paint.
underpainting
Consider using a monochrome underpainting (grisaille) to establish values. This technique involves painting in black, white, and ultramarine (or similar limited palette) to create a value structure before adding color (Source 5). This method allows the artist to 'mentally extract' red and yellow colors, focusing on form and light first (Source 5). Once dry, this layer can be glazed or scumbled with color.
color palette
Complexion tones
Earth tones, ochres, umbers, mixed with white
Skin tones. The artist must identify the 'predominating colour in the complexion' and faithfully reproduce it, avoiding the error of assuming all complexions are merely red and white (Source 1).
Complementary contrasts
Colors opposite on the color wheel (e.g., blue/orange, red/green)
Enhancing the effect of the complexion and dress. Using light tones of complementary colors or broken tones mixed with grey can create harmony and avoid crudity (Source 1).
Greys and broken tones
Pigments mixed with grey or complementary colors
Creating distinct parts without monotony, especially in remote planes or shadows (Source 1).
composition
The sources do not describe the specific composition of the Rovinsky portrait. However, Makovsky’s work is defined by 'blatant irony and scorn' and social consciousness in earlier works, though this 1894 portrait falls into his later, more 'gloomy' period (Source 7). The composition likely focuses on the sitter’s likeness and character, consistent with the realist goal of creating a 'recognisable' record of the subject (Source 8).
step by step
underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing
underdrawing
step 01
Sketch the sitter’s proportions and features lightly on the prepared surface.
Tip — Ensure accurate likeness, as the goal of portrait painting is a recognizable record (Source 8).
Academic drawing
underpainting
step 02
Apply a monochrome underpainting (grisaille) using black, white, and ultramarine to establish values and forms.
Tip — This allows you to focus on light and shadow without the distraction of color (Source 5).
Grisaille
first pass
step 03
Identify the predominant color in the sitter’s complexion and begin applying color in thin layers.
Tip — Avoid assuming the complexion is only red and white; observe the specific tones (Source 1).
Glazing
refining
step 04
Use complementary colors and grey-mixed tones to enhance contrast and harmony in the dress and background.
Tip — Be aware that contiguous colors affect each other; the eye may see a tint resulting from the complementary of the neighboring color (Source 2).
Simultaneous contrast
finishing
step 05
Refine details and adjust tones, ensuring that the dress and background colors support the complexion.
Tip — A portrait has a poor effect if the dress or background colors are not well chosen to complement the face (Source 1).
Color harmony
critical techniques
Simultaneous Contrast
Understanding that two colored objects viewed together appear different than when viewed separately. The painter must appreciate these modifications to imitate them accurately (Source 2).
Glazing and Scumbling
Applying transparent coats of color (glazing) or semi-opaque layers (scumbling) over a dry underpainting to build up tone and color, a method practiced by old masters (Source 5).
Color Contrast for Complexion
Choosing dress and background colors that contrast with or complement the predominant color of the sitter’s complexion to enhance its value (Source 1).
common pitfalls
- →Assuming all complexions are composed only of red and white, which is a common error (Source 1).
- →Ignoring the effect of simultaneous contrast, where contiguous colors alter the perceived hue of adjacent areas (Source 2).
- →Choosing dress or background colors that do not harmonize with the complexion, leading to a poor overall effect (Source 1).
- →Over-modeling or becoming too tied to the outline, which can make the portrait appear stiff (Source 6).
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 Dmitry Rovinsky’s appearance, clothing, and pose are not described in the sources.
- ·Makovsky’s specific palette choices for this 1894 portrait are not documented in the provided texts.
- ·The exact underdrawing or underpainting method used by Makovsky for this specific work is not specified.
- ·Details about the background setting or any objects included in the portrait are missing.
grounded in
The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- Section on Portrait Painting — applied to Color harmony, complexion tones, and contrast techniques
The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- Colouring a Monochrome — applied to Grisaille underpainting and glazing techniques
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 drying oils
Wikipedia bio — Vladimir Makovsky↗
- Biography — applied to Artist’s style, period, and academic background
Wikipedia: Portrait painting↗
- Part 1 and Part 9 — applied to Genre conventions and historical context of realism
Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.
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