plate no. 1642

Cenotaph to the Memory of Sir Joshua Reynolds

oil, canvasRomanticismlandscapetreesforestdeermonumentlandscapesky

recreation guide

Cenotaph to the Memory of Sir Joshua Reynolds (1836) is one of John Constable’s later landscape works, depicting a monument in the grounds of Coleorton Hall, Leicestershire. The scene features a cenotaph commemorating Sir Joshua Reynolds, set amongst woodland with a prominently featured stag (Source 1). As a late work, it reflects Constable’s shift toward a more broken and accented style, moving away from the serenity of his earlier phase (Source 4). The painting exemplifies his belief that landscape painting is 'scientific as well as poetic,' emphasizing the accurate depiction of atmospheric conditions and light (Source 4).

estimated time

20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions, allowing for drying times between glazes and scumbles

materials

6 items

steps

6 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints (Ultramarine, White, Black, Yellow ochre/red earth, Green earth)	Primary pigments for underpainting and glazing	Artist-grade oil paints
Linseed oil	Medium for thinning paint and creating glazes	Refined linseed oil
Mineral spirits or turpentine	Solvent for cleaning brushes and thinning initial layers	Odorless mineral spirits
Canvas	Support for the painting	Linen or cotton canvas, primed
Charcoal or thinned paint	Initial sketching on the canvas	Vine charcoal or raw umber thinned with solvent
Palette knives and rags	Application and removal of paint layers	Standard palette knives and lint-free rags

preparation

surface prep

The canvas should be prepared with a traditional ground. While specific priming details for this exact work are not detailed in the sources, Constable’s practice involved working on prepared canvases suitable for oil application. The surface should be smooth enough to allow for fine brushwork but textured enough to hold the broken brushstrokes characteristic of his later style (Source 3).

underdrawing

Begin by sketching the composition onto the canvas using charcoal or thinned paint. Constable often made pencil sketches from life before developing grander works, so a careful initial drawing is crucial to capture the specific layout of the monument, woodland, and stag (Source 1). The sketch should establish the 'key note' of the sky and the placement of the monument (Source 5).

underpainting

Apply a monochrome underpainting (grisaille) using black, ultramarine, and white mixed with oil of copavia or linseed oil. This layer establishes the tonal values without color, allowing the artist to focus on light and shadow. This technique is supported by Sir Joshua Reynolds’ method, which Constable would have been familiar with, and is described as a foundational step in traditional oil painting (Source 2). Ensure this layer is completely dry before proceeding.

color palette

Ultramarine

Pure ultramarine

Sky and cool shadows, consistent with Constable’s focus on atmospheric effects

White

Lead white or titanium white

Highlights and mixing with ultramarine for sky tones

Black

Ivory black or lamp black

Dark shadows and defining the monument and tree trunks

Yellow/Red tones

Yellow ochre, red earth, or vermilion

Glazing and scumbling to introduce warmth and color, particularly in the foliage and stag

Green earth

Verdigris or mixed greens

Woodland foliage, applied with broken brushstrokes

composition

The composition centers on the monument to Sir Joshua Reynolds, situated within the woodland of Coleorton Hall. A stag is prominently featured in the scene, adding a naturalistic element to the memorial landscape (Source 1). The sky plays a critical role, serving as the 'key note, the standard of scale, and the chief organ of sentiment' (Source 5). The arrangement should reflect a coherent composition with the monument as the focal point, surrounded by the natural elements of the estate (Source 6).

step by step

underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing→varnishing

underdrawing

step 01
Sketch the monument, woodland, and stag onto the canvas using charcoal or thinned paint.
Tip — Ensure the proportions of the monument and the placement of the stag are accurate, as Constable worked from detailed sketches (Source 1).
Initial sketching

underpainting

step 02
Apply a grisaille layer using black, ultramarine, and white mixed with oil. Establish the tonal values of the scene.
Tip — Allow this layer to dry completely. This step extracts red and yellow colors, focusing on form and light (Source 2).
Grisaille underpainting

first pass

step 03
Begin applying color with glazes and scumbles. Use transparent coats of color for glazing and semi-opaque layers for scumbling.
Tip — Follow the 'fat over lean' rule, ensuring each layer has more oil than the previous one to prevent cracking (Source 3).
Glazing and scumbling

refining

step 04
Use broken brushstrokes to capture the effects of light and movement in the foliage and sky. Scumble lighter passages to create sparkling light.
Tip — Constable used small touches to convey immediacy and atmospheric effects, particularly in the sky (Source 5).
Broken brushwork

finishing

step 05
Refine the details of the monument and the stag, ensuring they stand out against the woodland background.
Tip — Maintain the balance between the scientific accuracy of the landscape and the poetic sentiment of the scene (Source 4).
Detailing

varnishing

step 06
Apply a final varnish to protect the painting and enhance the depth of the glazes.
Tip — Ensure the painting is completely dry before varnishing to avoid trapping solvents.
Varnishing

critical techniques

Glazing and Scumbling

Glazing involves applying a transparent coat of color, while scumbling uses semi-opaque paint to allow the underlying layer to show through. This method was practiced by old masters and is essential for achieving the luminous quality in Constable’s work (Source 2).

Broken Brushwork

Constable used small, broken brushstrokes to capture the effects of light and movement, particularly in the sky and foliage. This technique creates an impression of sparkling light enveloping the landscape (Source 5).

Fat over Lean

Each additional layer of paint should contain more oil than the layer below to ensure proper drying and prevent cracking. This is a basic rule of oil paint application (Source 3).

common pitfalls

→Applying layers with less oil than the previous layer, which can lead to cracking and peeling (Source 3).
→Over-modeling or being too tied down to outlines, which can result in a smallness that detracts from the expressive quality of the landscape (Source 8).
→Ignoring the scientific aspect of landscape painting, such as the accurate depiction of weather and light, which Constable considered essential (Source 4).
→Attempting to deceive the eye with mere illusion rather than expressing the feeling and vitality of the medium (Source 7).

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 pigment recipes used by Constable for this particular painting are not detailed in the sources.
·The exact dimensions of the canvas are not provided, though it is described as a 'grander work' (Source 1).
·Detailed information on the specific varnish or medium Constable used for the final layers is not available in the provided sources.

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 Glazing and scumbling techniques, grisaille underpainting
- ON COPYING — applied to Avoiding over-modeling and smallness
The Practice and Science of Drawing↗
- XX MATERIALS — applied to Importance of medium and avoiding mere illusion

cross-referenced from

Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.

Wikipedia: Cenotaph to the Memory of Sir Joshua Reynolds↗
- part 1 — applied to Composition details, monument, stag, and context
Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- part 2 — applied to Fat over lean rule, materials, and drying times
Wikipedia bio — John Constable↗
- part 7 — applied to Constable’s later style, scientific approach to landscape
- part 9 — applied to Broken brushwork, sky studies, and atmospheric effects
Wikipedia: Landscape painting↗
- part 1 — applied to General landscape composition and topographical views