plate no. 2392

Collioure. Street with the palm

Zinaida Serebriakova, 1930

oilExpressionismcityscapebuildingsstreetfigureskypalm treevegetation

recreation guide

Zinaida Serebriakova’s *Collioure. Street with the palm* (1930) is an oil painting that reflects her transition into a more expressive, modernist style during her exile in France. While specific visual details of this particular street scene are not described in the provided sources, the work belongs to the genre of cityscape/landscape and is categorized under Expressionism. Serebriakova, trained in the realist traditions of Ilya Repin and the Impressionist-influenced Académie de la Grande Chaumière, later developed a style that retained structural integrity while embracing bolder color and form. This painting likely utilizes the traditional oil painting techniques she mastered early in her career, such as layering and glazing, adapted to the vibrant light of the Mediterranean coast.

estimated time

20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions

materials

7 items

steps

6 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints (artist grade)	Primary medium for color application	—
Linseed oil	Medium to thin paint and increase 'fatness' for upper layers	—
Mineral spirits or turpentine	Solvent for thinning initial layers ('lean') and cleaning brushes	—
Canvas	Support surface	—
Charcoal or thinned paint	Initial sketching of the composition	—
Paintbrushes and palette knives	Application and manipulation of paint texture	—
Rags	Removing wet paint or blending	—

preparation

surface prep

The canvas should be primed with a traditional ground suitable for oil painting. While specific priming methods for this 1930 work are not detailed in the sources, Serebriakova’s training in the early 20th century implies a standard oil-compatible ground. Ensure the surface is dry and stable to prevent cracking, adhering to the general rule that paint film stability depends on the quality of the oil and ground (Source 1).

underdrawing

Begin by sketching the subject onto the canvas using charcoal or thinned paint (Source 1). Given Serebriakova’s background in contour drawing and her emphasis on form and volume (Source 5), the underdrawing should focus on the mass and outline of the street, buildings, and palm tree rather than minute details. The lines should convey the three-dimensional perspective and spatial relationships of the cityscape.

underpainting

Consider employing a monochrome underpainting (grisaille) to establish values before applying color. This technique, discussed in traditional oil painting practice, involves extracting red and yellow tones to create a neutral base, which can later be glazed with color (Source 2). This method helps in managing the complex light and shadow of a cityscape and aligns with the disciplined approach Serebriakova received from her teachers like Repin.

color palette

Warm earth tones

Ochres, umbers, siennas

General use in establishing the Mediterranean street and architectural forms

Vibrant greens

Viridian, sap green, mixed with yellow

The palm tree foliage, reflecting the expressive style

Blues and whites

Ultramarine, cerulean, titanium white

Sky and highlights, consistent with Impressionist influences noted in her biography

Reds and yellows

Cadmium red, cadmium yellow

Glazing layers to add warmth and vibrancy, as per traditional glazing techniques

composition

While specific compositional elements of *Collioure* are not described in the sources, general principles of composition suggest avoiding exact bisections of the picture space and positioning the horizon line to emphasize either the sky or the ground (Source 3). Serebriakova’s work often features a clear center of interest and balanced satellite elements. The viewer’s eye should be led around the elements of the street before leading out of the picture. Avoid having the subject face directly out of the image to maintain engagement (Source 3).

step by step

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

underdrawing

step 01
Sketch the main forms of the street, buildings, and palm tree using charcoal or thinned paint.
Tip — Focus on mass and volume rather than detail.
Contour drawing

underpainting

step 02
Apply a monochrome grisaille layer to establish light and shadow values.
Tip — Mentally extract red and yellow colors to create a neutral base.
Grisaille

first pass

step 03
Apply initial layers of color using lean paint (mixed with more solvent than oil).
Tip — Ensure each subsequent layer has more oil than the previous one to prevent cracking.
Fat over lean

refining

step 04
Glaze and scumble transparent and semi-opaque layers of color, particularly reds and yellows, over the dry underpainting.
Tip — Use glazing to add depth and scumbling to create texture and coldness where needed.
Glazing and scumbling

finishing

step 05
Adjust details and contrast using brushes or palette knives. Remove or scrape off paint if necessary while wet.
Tip — Oil paint remains wet longer, allowing for changes in color and texture.
Palette knife application

varnishing

step 06
Allow the painting to dry completely (up to two weeks) before applying varnish if desired.
Tip — Do not varnish until the paint is fully dry to the touch.
Drying by oxidation

critical techniques

Fat over lean

A basic rule of oil paint application where each additional layer contains more oil than the layer below to ensure proper drying and prevent cracking.

Glazing

Applying a transparent coat of color over a dry underpainting to adjust translucency and sheen, particularly useful for adding warmth with red and yellow tones.

Scumbling

Semi-opaque painting through which the underlying layer shows, useful for creating texture and coldness, especially over darker grounds.

Contour drawing

Emphasizing the mass and volume of the subject through outline, focusing on form rather than minor details.

common pitfalls

→Applying lean paint over fat paint, which can lead to cracking and peeling of the final painting (Source 1).
→Over-modeling or being too tied down to the initial outline, which can result in a stiff appearance. Copying works by Reynolds or Van Dyck can help correct this tendency (Source 6).
→Ignoring the 'fat over lean' rule, compromising the permanence of the paint film (Source 1).
→Creating exact bisections in the composition, which can make the image less engaging (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 color palette used by Serebriakova for this particular 1930 painting is not detailed in the sources.
·Exact compositional layout of *Collioure. Street with the palm* is not described, so general composition principles are applied.
·Specific brushwork style or texture preferences for this cityscape are not explicitly documented in the provided passages.
·The exact medium ratios (oil to solvent) used by Serebriakova in her later years are not specified.

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 Grisaille underpainting, glazing, and scumbling techniques
- ON COPYING — applied to Advice on correcting over-modeling and outline dependency

cross-referenced from

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

Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- Oil painting — part 2 — applied to Materials, fat over lean rule, drying time, and application tools
Wikipedia: Composition (visual arts)↗
- Composition (visual arts) — part 6 — applied to General compositional principles like horizon line placement and center of interest
Wikipedia bio — Zinaida Serebriakova↗
- Zinaida Serebriakova — part 1 — applied to Artist’s background, training, and stylistic influences
Wikipedia: Contour drawing↗
- Contour drawing — part 1 — applied to Underdrawing technique focusing on mass and volume