plate no. 6647
At Gennelle, Absinthe Drinker
recreation guide
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec’s *At Gennelle, Absinthe Drinker* (1886) is a genre painting that captures a snapshot of quotidian life, consistent with the tradition of depicting figures without specific historical identity but with high individualization (Source 3). The work reflects Lautrec’s documented fascination with the 'urban underclass' and nightlife, where he stripped away glamour to reveal the reality of his subjects (Source 4). As a Post-Impressionist work, it likely employs the artist’s characteristic debt to Manet and Degas, focusing on detached observation and the movement of figures within their working or social environments (Source 4). The painting serves as a 'reality effect' rather than strict realism, balancing the depiction of everyday scenes with the artist’s unique stylistic interpretation (Source 3).
estimated time
20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions
materials
5 items
steps
6 in sequence
materials
| item | purpose | modern equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Oil paints (primary colors: Ultramarine, Vermilion, Yellow Ochre, plus White and Black) | Primary medium for the painting, allowing for mixing and glazing techniques. | High-quality artist-grade oil paints |
| Ink | Used in conjunction with oil, as noted in the artwork's medium description. | India ink or drawing ink |
| Canvas | Support surface for the oil and ink application. | Linen or cotton canvas, primed |
| Oil of Copavia (or modern linseed/walnut oil) | Medium for glazing and scumbling, as referenced in historical oil painting practices. | Stand oil or refined linseed oil |
| Varnish | For final glazing layers if employing the old master technique of varnish-oil mixtures. | Dammar or synthetic resin varnish |
preparation
surface prep
Prepare the canvas with a traditional ground. While specific prep for this 1886 work is not detailed in the sources, Lautrec’s practice involved painting on canvas (Source 4). A neutral or toned ground is recommended to facilitate the 'grisaille' or monochrome underpainting method described in historical oil painting practices, which allows for subsequent glazing (Source 8).
underdrawing
Lautrec was a prolific draftsman, creating over 5,000 drawings (Source 4). It is likely that an underdrawing was made, possibly using ink given the medium listing, to establish the 'line' as a visual path for the eye (Source 5). The drawing would focus on the individualized silhouette of the figure, a hallmark of Lautrec’s ability to identify figures by silhouette alone (Source 4).
underpainting
Consider employing a monochrome underpainting (grisaille) using black, ultramarine, and white, as described in historical methods for establishing value structure before applying color (Source 8). This technique allows the artist to 'mentally extract' red and yellow tones initially, focusing on form and light (Source 8).
color palette
Neutral Grays/Blacks
Ultramarine, Black, White
Underpainting and shadows, consistent with the 'black, ultramarine, and white' method for initial layers (Source 8).
Flesh Tones
Vermilion, Yellow Ochre, White, adjusted with complements
The figure’s skin. Lautrec depicted people in their working environments, requiring accurate but stylized flesh tones (Source 4). Use complementary colors to darken without shifting hue toward green/blue (Source 1).
Dark Accents
Black or complementary darks
Clothing and shadows. Avoid adding black to yellows/oranges to prevent hue shifts toward green/blue (Source 1).
Highlights
White mixed with adjacent colors
Lighting effects. Correct hue shifts caused by adding white to reds/oranges by adding a small amount of adjacent color (e.g., orange to red-white mix) (Source 1).
composition
The composition likely features a single figure or small group, typical of genre paintings which often show 'single figures' or 'snapshots of quotidian life' (Source 3). Lautrec characteristically individualized figures, making them identifiable by silhouette (Source 4). The arrangement should emphasize the 'reality effect' of the scene, avoiding idealized poses in favor of natural, perhaps slightly disordered, positioning (Source 3). Use the principles of chiaroscuro to create gradation of light, where juxtaposition of tones heightens the contrast (Source 2).
step by step
underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing
underdrawing
step 01
Sketch the figure(s) using ink or thin oil, focusing on the silhouette and gesture. Lautrec’s figures are highly individualized and recognizable by silhouette (Source 4).
Tip — Ensure the pose reflects a natural, un-conceited state, as Lautrec preferred models who 'make no demand' (Source 6).
Silhouette drawing
underpainting
step 02
Apply a monochrome layer (grisaille) using black, ultramarine, and white to establish values and form. This extracts color to focus on structure (Source 8).
Tip — Allow this layer to dry completely before proceeding to glazing (Source 8).
Grisaille
first pass
step 03
Begin glazing and scumbling with oil. Apply transparent coats of color, particularly reds and yellows, over the dry monochrome base (Source 8).
Tip — Glazing creates a transparent coat of color, while scumbling is semi-opaque (Source 8).
Glazing
refining
step 04
Adjust lightness and darkness. When darkening colors, use complementary colors rather than black to avoid hue shifts (e.g., purplish-red to yellowish-green) (Source 1).
Tip — Adding black to yellows/oranges can shift them toward green/blue; use complements to neutralize without hue shift (Source 1).
Complementary darkening
step 05
Lighten colors by adding white, but correct any blue shifts in reds/oranges by adding a small amount of an adjacent color (e.g., orange to red-white mix) (Source 1).
Tip — Watch for the tendency of red-white mixtures to shift toward blue (Source 1).
Hue correction
finishing
step 06
Enhance contrasts using the law of simultaneous contrast. Juxtapose tones to create chiaroscuro, where the highest tone is enfeebled and the lowest heightened at the boundary (Source 2).
Tip — Focus on great effects; many small effects will result spontaneously from proper contrast (Source 2).
Simultaneous Contrast
critical techniques
Glazing and Scumbling
Used to build color over a monochrome underpainting. Glazing is a transparent coat, while scumbling is semi-opaque, allowing the underlying painting to show through (Source 8).
Complementary Color Mixing
Used to darken colors without shifting hue. For example, using purplish-red to darken yellowish-green (Source 1).
Simultaneous Contrast
Juxtaposing tones to create gradation of light and enhance contrast at boundaries (Source 2).
common pitfalls
- →Adding black to warm colors (yellows, oranges, reds) can cause unwanted hue shifts toward green or blue (Source 1).
- →Adding white to reds and oranges can cause a shift toward blue; this must be corrected with adjacent colors (Source 1).
- →Ignoring the drying time of the monochrome underpainting before glazing can ruin the transparency effect (Source 8).
- →Over-idealizing the figure; Lautrec’s genre paintings aim for a 'reality effect' and depict subjects without glamour or conceit (Source 3, 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 color palette used in *At Gennelle, Absinthe Drinker* is not detailed in the sources; general Lautrec palette is inferred.
- ·Exact composition layout (e.g., figure placement, background details) is not described in the sources; general genre painting conventions are applied.
- ·Specific ink application technique in conjunction with oil is not detailed; assumed to be part of the underdrawing or linear accentuation.
- ·Lautrec’s specific brushwork style for this 1886 work is not described; general Post-Impressionist and Degas-influenced techniques are inferred.
grounded in
The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 6. Put beside each other two flat tints... — applied to Chiaroscuro, simultaneous contrast, gradation of light
The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- COLOURING A MONOCHROME — applied to Grisaille underpainting, glazing, scumbling, use of copavia oil
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, darkening with complements, lightening with white and hue correction
Wikipedia: Dutch Golden Age painting↗
- Dutch Golden Age painting — part 11 — applied to Genre painting characteristics, 'reality effect', single figures
Wikipedia bio — Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec↗
- Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec — part 5 — applied to Artist’s style, influence of Manet/Degas, silhouette identification, medium (oil/ink/canvas)
- Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec — part 3 — applied to Subject matter (urban underclass, prostitutes), attitude toward models
Wikipedia: Composition (visual arts)↗
- Composition (visual arts) — part 1 — applied to Definition of composition, elements of design (line, shape, value)
Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.
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