plate no. 9790

Arrantzales. Ondárroa.

Carlos Saenz de Tejada, 1919

oilExpressionismgenre paintingfiguresarchitecturewaterboatsbuildingslandscape

recreation guide

Arrantzales. Ondárroa (1919) by Carlos Saenz de Tejada is a genre painting depicting ordinary people engaged in common activities, specifically fishermen, consistent with the definition of genre art which portrays aspects of everyday life rather than historical or mythological narratives (Source 3). As an Expressionist work, it likely prioritizes the expression of feeling and emotional idea over strict naturalistic deception, treating the painted surface as a symbol of the artist's consciousness rather than a mere substitute for nature (Source 5). The work belongs to the early 20th-century Spanish modernist context, where artists often explored the vitality of the medium itself.

estimated time

20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions

materials

5 items

steps

5 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints (pigments)	Primary medium for color application	—
Linseed oil	Drying oil binder and medium for glazing/scumbling	Cold-pressed linseed oil
Canvas or panel	Support for the painting	Primed linen or cotton canvas
Varnish	Medium for glazing/scumbling to gain mastery over transparent layers	Dammar or synthetic resin varnish
Black, Ultramarine, White	Base colors for the initial monochrome underpainting (grisaille)	Ivory Black, Ultramarine Blue, Titanium White

preparation

surface prep

Prepare a rigid support (canvas or panel) with a ground suitable for oil painting. While specific preparation for Saenz de Tejada is not detailed in the sources, the general practice of the period and the technique described in Source 1 implies a stable, dry surface capable of supporting a grisaille underpainting that must be 'quite dry' before subsequent layers are applied.

underdrawing

The sources do not specify Saenz de Tejada's underdrawing method. However, consistent with the 'Practice of Oil Painting' described in Source 1, the artist likely began with a monochrome preparation (grisaille) using black, ultramarine, and white to establish values and composition before introducing color. This step involves mentally extracting red and yellow tones to focus on form and light.

underpainting

Apply a grisaille underpainting using black, ultramarine, and white mixed with oil of copavia (or a similar medium) as described by Sir Joshua Reynolds in Source 1. This layer establishes the tonal structure. The goal is to translate what would be left in nature if red and yellow colors were not present, focusing on the structural integrity of the figures and setting.

color palette

Red tones

Transparent red pigments (e.g., Alizarin Crimson or Cadmium Red Light)

Glazing and scumbling over the grisaille to introduce warmth and local color, particularly in skin tones or clothing details.

Yellow tones

Transparent yellow pigments (e.g., Yellow Ochre or Cadmium Yellow)

Glazing and scumbling to introduce light and warmth, complementing the red tones.

Blue/Black/White

Ultramarine, Black, White

Establishing the monochrome underpainting and shadows.

composition

As a genre painting, the composition likely focuses on figures engaged in common activities without specific individual identities, distinguishing it from portraiture (Source 3). The arrangement may emphasize the 'vitality possessed by the medium' rather than strict illusionism, allowing the viewer to perceive the work as painted symbols expressing the artist's feeling (Source 5). Specific compositional details of Arrantzales. Ondárroa are not described in the sources, so general genre conventions of depicting everyday life are applied.

step by step

underpainting→first pass→drying→refining→finishing

underpainting

step 01
Create a grisaille underpainting using black, ultramarine, and white mixed with oil of copavia. Focus on establishing the tonal values and forms of the fishermen and their environment.
Tip — Mentally extract red and yellow colors to focus on structure and light.
Monochrome underpainting

first pass

step 03
Begin glazing and scumbling with oil. Apply transparent coats of red and yellow tones over the grisaille, similar to tinting an engraving with watercolors.
Tip — Glazing is a transparent coat of color that allows the underlying painting to show through.
Glazing

drying

step 02
Allow the grisaille to dry completely. This is crucial before applying transparent or semi-opaque layers.
Tip — Ensure the underpainting is 'quite dry' to prevent mixing with subsequent glazes.
Drying

refining

step 04
Use scumbling, a semi-opaque painting technique, to modify tones. When employed over a darker ground, it tends to coldness, allowing for a 'grey bloom' effect.
Tip — Scumbling allows the underlying painting to make itself felt while adding texture and color variation.
Scumbling

finishing

step 05
As mastery is gained, mix varnish with oil for further glazing and scumbling. Adjust colors based on the law of simultaneous contrast, ensuring that contiguous colors do not distort the perceived hue of adjacent areas.
Tip — Be aware that the eye may see the complementary of a previously viewed color, affecting color accuracy.
Simultaneous Contrast

critical techniques

Glazing and Scumbling

Used to build up color transparently and semi-opaquely over a monochrome underpainting. This method was practiced by old masters and allows for rich, luminous effects without muddying the paint.

Simultaneous Contrast

Understanding that colors appear different when placed next to each other. The painter must appreciate modifications of tone and color received from contiguous colors to accurately imitate the model.

Expression of Feeling

The artist uses the medium to express feeling and consciousness, rather than merely deceiving the eye with naturalism. The painting is a symbol of the artist's emotional idea.

common pitfalls

→Attempting to deceive the eye into thinking it is looking at real nature, which subordinates the enjoyment of the medium and results in a lack of vital expression (Source 5).
→Ignoring the law of simultaneous contrast, leading to inaccurate color perception and application, as the eye is susceptible to fatigue and complementary afterimages (Source 2).
→Applying glazes or scumbles before the underpainting is completely dry, which can ruin the transparency and integrity of the layers (Source 1).
→Overlooking the prejudice against glazing and scumbling among modern painters, despite its effectiveness and historical precedent (Source 1).

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 Arrantzales. Ondárroa (e.g., exact poses, clothing colors, background elements) are not described in the sources.
·Carlos Saenz de Tejada's specific palette preferences or habitual materials are not detailed in the provided sources.
·The exact composition and layout of the painting are unknown.
·Source 4 discusses Carmen Calvo, not Carlos Saenz de Tejada, and is therefore irrelevant to the artist's practice.

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, scumbling, and drying steps
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 315-318 — applied to Color accuracy and simultaneous contrast considerations
The Practice and Science of Drawing↗
- XX MATERIALS — applied to Philosophy of medium and expression over illusionism