plate no. 9997
Autumn
Boris Kustodiev, 1915
recreation guide
Boris Kustodiev’s 'Autumn' (1915) is a cityscape executed in oil, reflecting his Modernist period style. Kustodiev is historically noted for his depictions of the Russian merchant class and provincial life, often characterized by rich, plentiful atmospheres reminiscent of Ostrovsky plays (Source 5). While specific visual details of this particular cityscape are not described in the provided sources, the work aligns with the artist’s general practice of recreating childhood observations of merchant life in oils. The painting likely employs the principles of simultaneous contrast to harmonize the inherent colors of the autumnal setting, ensuring that the modifications of light and tone are perceived accurately despite the eye’s susceptibility to fatigue when disentangling subtle color shifts (Source 1).
estimated time
20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions
materials
4 items
steps
4 in sequence
materials
| item | purpose | modern equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Oil paints (Ultramarine, White, Black, Red, Yellow) | Primary pigments for underpainting and glazing | Standard tube oils |
| Oil of Copavia (or modern stand oil/linseed oil) | Medium for the first and second paintings to ensure proper flow and drying | Stand oil or refined linseed oil |
| Varnish | Mixed with oil for later glazing stages to gain mastery over transparent coats | Artist’s resin varnish |
| Canvas or Panel | Support for the oil painting | Primed linen or cotton canvas |
preparation
surface prep
The surface should be prepared to accept oil paints. While Kustodiev’s specific ground preparation is not detailed in the sources, the practice of oil painting generally requires a stable, non-absorbent ground. The sources suggest a method involving a monochrome preparation (grisaille) which must be quite dry before proceeding (Source 3).
underdrawing
The sources do not specify Kustodiev’s underdrawing technique for this specific work. However, general advice for copying and studying suggests that a sound craftsman must first master the alphabet of the art, implying a structured approach to form before color application (Source 6).
underpainting
A grisaille (monochrome underpainting) is recommended. The artist should mentally extract red and yellow colors, translating what would be left in nature if these two colors were not present. This creates a neutral foundation for subsequent glazing (Source 3).
color palette
Ultramarine
Pure ultramarine
Part of the initial black/ultramarine/white underpainting mixture
White
Lead white or titanium white
Part of the initial underpainting mixture to establish values
Black
Ivory black or lamp black
Part of the initial underpainting mixture
Red and Yellow tones
Various reds and yellows
Glazing and scumbling over the dry grisaille to introduce autumnal hues
composition
The composition should avoid exact bisections of the picture space and ensure the horizon line does not divide the artwork into two equal parts, instead emphasizing either the sky or the ground (Source 8). A center of interest should be established to prevent the work from becoming merely a pattern, and the viewer’s eye should be led around all elements before exiting the picture (Source 8). Small, high-contrast elements can balance larger, duller areas (Source 8).
step by step
underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing
underpainting
step 01
Create a grisaille underpainting using black, ultramarine, and white mixed with oil of copavia. Mentally extract red and yellow colors to establish the tonal structure.
Tip — Ensure the grisaille is quite dry before proceeding to color layers.
Monochrome underpainting
first pass
step 02
Apply transparent coats of color (glazing) using oil as a medium. Introduce yellow and red tones as they occur in the autumnal scene.
Tip — Treat the application like tinting an engraving with watercolors, building up color gradually.
Glazing
refining
step 03
Use scumbling (semi-opaque painting) over darker grounds to create coldness or grey blooms where necessary, allowing the underlying painting to show through.
Tip — Be aware that scumbling over darker grounds tends to coldness; use this to adjust temperature.
Scumbling
finishing
step 04
Harmonize colors by considering simultaneous contrast. Adjust tones so that the lightest tone is lowered and the darkest heightened where juxtaposed, ensuring colors appear as they would in nature rather than isolated.
Tip — Watch for eye fatigue; the eye may see the complementary of a previously viewed color, leading to inaccuracies.
Simultaneous Contrast
critical techniques
Glazing and Scumbling
Used to build up color over a dry monochrome underpainting. Glazing provides transparent coats, while scumbling offers semi-opaque layers that interact with the underpainting.
Simultaneous Contrast
Applied to harmonize colors inherent to the objects. The artist must account for how adjacent colors modify each other’s appearance, preventing the eye from being deceived by mixed contrast.
common pitfalls
- →Seeing colors inaccurately due to mixed contrast, where the eye retains the complementary of a previously viewed color (Source 1).
- →Over-modeling or being too tied down to outlines, which can result in a lack of broad mass and finish (Source 6).
- →Applying color before the grisaille is completely dry, which can muddy the transparent layers (Source 3).
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 cityscape (buildings, figures, specific autumn elements) are not described in the sources.
- ·Kustodiev’s exact brushwork style for this specific painting is not detailed.
- ·The specific proportions and layout of the composition are not provided.
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 and glazing techniques
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- Simultaneous Contrast — applied to Color harmony and perception adjustments
cross-referenced from
Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.
Wikipedia: Composition (visual arts)↗
- Composition (visual arts) — part 6 — applied to Compositional structure and balance
Wikipedia bio — Boris Kustodiev↗
- Early life — applied to Contextual understanding of the artist's style and subject matter
Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.
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