Captain Robert Shore Milnes

surface prep

The canvas should be prepared with a traditional ground suitable for oil painting. While specific details of Wright’s ground preparation are not explicitly detailed in the sources, the practice of the period involved creating a stable, absorbent surface. The sources emphasize the importance of a dry grisaille underpainting before proceeding to glazing (Source 1). Therefore, the surface must be fully dry and sealed to prevent the oil medium from sinking unevenly into the ground.

underdrawing

Joseph Wright’s preparatory methods are not explicitly detailed in the provided sources. However, given his emphasis on dramatic lighting and precise tonal gradation, it is likely that he employed a careful underdrawing to establish the composition and the placement of light and shadow. The sources suggest that copying works by masters like Reynolds or Van Dyck can help artists overcome tendencies to be too tied down to outlines or to over-model (Source 5). Thus, the underdrawing should be loose enough to allow for fluid adjustments in tone but precise enough to guide the complex chiaroscuro effects.

underpainting

The underpainting should be executed as a grisaille, a monochromatic painting that establishes the values of light and shadow. According to Sir Joshua Reynolds, whose methods are cited as representative of the period, the first and second paintings are done with oil of copavia, using black, ultramarine, and white (Source 1). This grisaille serves as the foundation for the subsequent color layers, allowing the artist to focus on the structural integrity of the light and shadow before introducing color. The grisaille must be completely dry before proceeding to glazing and scumbling (Source 1).

Glazing

A transparent coat of color applied over a dry underpainting to build up luminosity and depth. Wright’s contemporaries, such as Reynolds, used this method extensively, applying glazes of red and yellow over a grisaille base (Source 1).

Scumbling

A semi-opaque technique where paint is applied thinly enough to allow the underlying layer to show through. This can create subtle tonal variations and atmospheric effects, such as a grey bloom over darker grounds (Source 1).

Chiaroscuro

The use of strong contrasts between light and dark to create a sense of volume and drama. Wright is noted for his dramatic chiaroscuro, particularly in candlelit scenes, which likely influenced his approach to portraiture (Source 8).

Simultaneous Contrast

The principle that the perception of a color is influenced by the colors surrounding it. Wright would have used this to harmonize the colors of the sitter’s flesh and clothing with the background, ensuring a cohesive visual experience (Source 3).