plate no. 4589
Bust of Alice Gamby
Berthe Morisot, 1890
recreation guide
Bust of Alice Gamby (1890) is a portrait by Berthe Morisot that exemplifies her late Impressionist style, characterized by a transition from short, rapid strokes to long, sinuous brushwork that defines form (Source 4). The work likely reflects Morisot’s practice of working from preliminary drawings before applying oil paint, a method she adopted after 1885 (Source 4). As a portrait, its intent is to achieve a recognizable likeness of the sitter, serving as a record of her appearance (Source 3). Morisot’s technique in this period often involved painting on unprimed canvases to allow the canvas to show through, increasing the sense of spontaneity, particularly at the outer edges which were often left unfinished (Source 4).
estimated time
20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions
materials
5 items
steps
4 in sequence
materials
| item | purpose | modern equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Unprimed canvas | To allow the canvas texture to show through, creating spontaneity and transparency, consistent with Morisot's practice around 1880-1890. | Raw linen or cotton canvas, unprimed or lightly sized with rabbit skin glue if necessary for stability, but left without white gesso. |
| Oil paints | Primary medium for the portrait. | High-quality tube oils (linseed or poppy seed oil binder). |
| White pigment (Lead White or Titanium White) | Morisot made expansive use of white, often barely tinted, to harmonize paintings and create transparency. | Titanium White (for opacity) or Zinc White (for transparency), though historically Lead White was standard. |
| Drawing media (charcoal, pencil, or pastel) | For preliminary drawings, which Morisot used extensively before starting oil paintings after 1885. | Vine charcoal, graphite, or soft pastels. |
| Turpentine or solvent | To thin paints for initial layers or glazing if employed. | Odorless mineral spirits or turpentine. |
preparation
surface prep
The canvas should likely be left unprimed or minimally prepared. Morisot began painting on unprimed canvases around 1880, a technique she shared with Manet and Eva Gonzalès (Source 4). This allows the ground to show through, contributing to the lightness and spontaneity characteristic of her work. If the canvas is too absorbent, a very light sizing may be applied, but no white gesso ground should be used, as this would contradict the 'unfinished' edge aesthetic and transparency she sought (Source 4).
underdrawing
Morisot worked mostly from preliminary drawings before beginning her oil paintings after 1885 (Source 4). The artist should create a detailed drawing of the bust using charcoal or pastel on the unprimed canvas. This drawing serves as the structural foundation, allowing the subsequent oil application to focus on color and light rather than form-finding. The drawing should capture the likeness accurately, as portrait painting aims for a recognizable record of the sitter (Source 3).
underpainting
While Morisot’s specific underpainting method for this work is not explicitly detailed in the sources, her general practice involved using barely tinted whites to harmonize the painting (Source 4). A thin, monochromatic or limited-color underlayer using white and perhaps a neutral tone could be applied to establish values. Alternatively, given her use of white to create transparency, the artist might begin directly with the white-dominated areas, letting the unprimed canvas serve as the mid-tone ground. If a grisaille approach is chosen, it should be kept thin to allow the canvas texture to remain visible (Source 7, Source 4).
color palette
White / Barely Tinted White
White lead (historical) or Titanium/Zinc white mixed with minimal pigment.
Harmonizing the painting, creating transparency, and defining highlights. Morisot made expansive use of white (Source 4).
Limited Earth Tones
Ochres, umbers, and siennas.
General use in this artist's palette. Morisot’s color palette was somewhat limited, and she kept the use of color to a minimum when constructing a motif, inspired by Manet (Source 4).
Complementary Accents
Small amounts of blue, red, or green depending on the subject's clothing and lighting.
Modifications of tone and color received from contiguous colors, adhering to the law of simultaneous contrast (Source 1).
composition
The composition is a bust portrait, focusing on the head and shoulders. Morisot characteristically left the outer edges of her paintings unfinished, allowing the canvas to show through (Source 4). The artist should avoid hard borders around the figure, letting the forms dissolve into the unprimed background. The sense of space and depth should be created through the use of color rather than linear perspective (Source 4).
step by step
underdrawing→first pass→refining→finishing
underdrawing
step 01
Create a preliminary drawing of Alice Gamby on the unprimed canvas using charcoal or pastel. Focus on accurate likeness and proportions.
Tip — Ensure the drawing is secure but not so heavy that it obscures the canvas texture. Morisot worked from drawings after 1885 (Source 4).
Preliminary drawing
first pass
step 02
Apply thin layers of oil paint, starting with the white and light tones. Use long, sinuous brushstrokes to define form, consistent with her 1888-89 style.
Tip — Avoid over-modeling. Morisot’s brushwork became looser around 1880 (Source 4).
Sinuous brushwork
refining
step 03
Introduce limited color accents. Use barely tinted whites to harmonize the painting. Pay attention to simultaneous contrast, where colors affect each other.
Tip — Be aware that the eye may see colors inaccurately due to mixed contrast; check colors frequently (Source 1).
Simultaneous contrast
finishing
step 04
Leave the outer edges unfinished, allowing the unprimed canvas to show through. Ensure the sense of spontaneity is maintained.
Tip — Do not paint to the very edge of the canvas. The 'unfinished' look is intentional (Source 4).
Unfinished edges
critical techniques
Sinuous Brushwork
In 1888-89, Morisot’s brushstrokes transitioned to long, sinuous ones that define form, replacing earlier short, rapid strokes.
Unprimed Canvas
Painting on unprimed surfaces allows the canvas to show through, increasing spontaneity and transparency.
Use of White
Expansive use of white, often barely tinted, to harmonize the painting and create transparency.
Simultaneous Contrast
Awareness that contiguous colors modify each other’s appearance, requiring the painter to perceive and imitate these modifications promptly.
common pitfalls
- →Over-modeling the form: Morisot’s later work is characterized by loose, sinuous strokes, not tight finish. Avoid smallness and over-detailing (Source 2, Source 4).
- →Ignoring simultaneous contrast: Failing to account for how adjacent colors affect each other can lead to inaccurate color perception (Source 1).
- →Priming the canvas fully: Using a white gesso ground would contradict Morisot’s practice of using unprimed canvases to show texture and spontaneity (Source 4).
- →Using a broad, vivid palette: Morisot’s palette was limited; she kept color use to a minimum when constructing motifs (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 color choices for Alice Gamby’s clothing and skin tones are not described in the sources; the artist must rely on general knowledge of Morisot’s limited palette and the sitter’s actual appearance if available.
- ·The exact preliminary drawing technique (charcoal vs. pastel) is not specified, only that she used various drawing media (Source 4).
- ·The specific lighting conditions of the original sitting are not described, which affects the application of simultaneous contrast principles.
grounded in
The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- Simultaneous contrast — applied to Color mixing and perception adjustments.
The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- On Copying — applied to Warning against over-modeling and smallness.
cross-referenced from
Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.
Wikipedia bio — Berthe Morisot↗
- Style and technique — applied to Brushwork style, unprimed canvas, use of white, preliminary drawings, and unfinished edges.
Wikipedia: Portrait painting↗
- Portrait painting — applied to Intent of likeness and record.
Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.
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