plate no. 5815

Dame Mary Latchford Kingsmill Jones

Ethel Léontine Gabain, 1950

oilNeo-Romanticismportraitportraitfigureclothingjewelrydraperyformal

what to study here

It shows how one portrait controls attention with three value groups and deliberate edge changes between skin, fabric and jewelry.

Start with the value structure, because it is clear enough to read in a squint: a near black-blue curtain, a mid-tone band of red, brown and gold clothing, and the lightest notes in the face and the white cuff. Light comes from the upper left, so the face and the red robe catch it while the curtain stays in shadow. Study how the edges change by material. The face and neck are soft and blended, the drapery and fur follow the folds with more directional strokes, and the gold chain and pendant are small but tightly drawn. That contrast tells the eye where to look first: the face, then down the chain. Note also that the seated figure sits low in the frame and its mass stands out against the cool background. The palette is warm and restrained: umbers, ochres and a deep red set against one cool dark. Copy the value groupings before any detail, then check where edges tighten.

key decision

Gabain kept the curtain as a deep, cool near-black and the clothing as a warm mid-tone mass, so the lit face is the lightest and most modeled area. Soft edges on the skin against tighter edges on the chain and fabric overlaps then steer the eye.

From the record

Dimensions: 105 cm high × 82 cm wide
Institution: Manchester Town Hall
Location: Manchester Town Hall
Inception: 1948
Materials: oil paint, canvas

Wikidata item Q119277048

recreation guide

This artwork is a 1950 oil portrait by Ethel Léontine Gabain, a key figure in the British Neo-Romantic movement. While the specific visual details of Dame Mary Latchford Kingsmill Jones’s attire or pose are not described in the provided sources, the recreation must adhere to the genre’s historical expectations: capturing the 'inner essence' and 'character and moral quality' of the sitter rather than merely a fleeting physical likeness (Source 3). The work likely employs a serious, composed expression, relying heavily on the eyes and eyebrows to convey subtle emotion, as the mouth remains relatively neutral (Source 3).

estimated time

20-30 hours over 6-8 sessions, allowing for drying times between glazing layers

materials

4 items

steps

6 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints (Black, Ultramarine, White, Yellow ochre/red earth, Vermilion/Cadmium Red)	Primary palette for grisaille underpainting and subsequent glazing	—
Oil of Copavia (or modern stand oil/linseed oil blend)	Medium for the first and second paintings to ensure transparency and flow	Stand oil or cold-pressed linseed oil
Varnish	Mixed with oil for later glazing stages to increase transparency and depth	Dammar varnish or resin varnish
Canvas or Panel	Support for the oil painting	Linen canvas primed with gesso

preparation

surface prep

Prepare a rigid support (panel or stretched canvas) with a smooth ground. While specific preparation for this exact portrait is not detailed, traditional oil painting practice for this period often involved a neutral or white ground to facilitate the glazing techniques described in the sources. Ensure the surface is dry and free of dust before beginning the underdrawing.

underdrawing

Create a precise underdrawing to establish the likeness. Since portrait painting historically required centuries to acquire the distinct skills for a 'good likeness' (Source 2), the drawing phase is critical. Focus on the proportions of the face, particularly the eyes and eyebrows, which are the primary vehicles for expression in this genre (Source 3). Avoid excessive detail in the drawing; it should serve as a structural guide for the subsequent monochrome layer.

underpainting

Execute a grisaille (monochrome) underpainting using black, ultramarine, and white mixed with oil of copavia (Source 1). This layer establishes the values and forms without color. The goal is to mentally extract red and yellow tones, translating what would remain in nature if those colors were absent (Source 1). This creates a solid foundation for the transparent color layers to follow.

color palette

Black

Ivory Black or Mars Black

Grisaille underpainting and shadows

Ultramarine

Natural Ultramarine or Synthetic Ultramarine

Grisaille underpainting, providing cool tones for shadows and depth

White

Lead White or Titanium White

Grisaille underpainting, highlights, and scumbling

Yellow/Red Tones

Yellow Ochre, Raw Sienna, Vermilion, Cadmium Red

Glazing and scumbling to introduce flesh tones and warmth over the grisaille

composition

The composition should aim for a 'center of interest' that prevents the work from becoming a mere pattern (Source 7). The subject should likely be positioned off-center unless a formal, symmetrical composition is desired, balanced by smaller satellite elements or negative space (Source 7). Avoid exact bisections of the picture space (Source 7). The gaze should lead the viewer’s eye around the elements before leading out, ensuring the subject does not face directly out of the image in a way that breaks engagement (Source 7).

step by step

underdrawing→underpainting→refining→finishing→varnishing

underdrawing

step 01
Sketch the portrait focusing on accurate proportions and the placement of the eyes and eyebrows.
Tip — Ensure the likeness is recognizable, as this is a primary goal of the genre (Source 2).
Portrait Drawing

underpainting

step 02
Apply a grisaille layer using black, ultramarine, and white with oil of copavia.
Tip — Mentally extract red and yellow colors, focusing on value structure (Source 1).
Grisaille

refining

step 03
Allow the grisaille to dry completely. Begin glazing with transparent coats of yellow and red tones.
Tip — Apply color much like tinting an engraving with watercolors (Source 1).
Glazing
step 04
Use scumbling (semi-opaque painting) over darker grounds to create coldness or grey blooms where needed.
Tip — Observe how the underlying painting shows through the semi-opaque layer (Source 1).
Scumbling

finishing

step 05
Refine the eyes and eyebrows to convey the subject's character and inner essence.
Tip — Focus on the eyes for reliable information about the subject's state (Source 3).
Detailing

varnishing

step 06
Apply a final varnish to unify the glazes and protect the surface.
Tip — Ensure the painting is completely dry to prevent cracking.
Varnishing

critical techniques

Glazing

Applying transparent coats of color over a dry monochrome underpainting to build depth and luminosity, as practiced by old masters and described by Reynolds (Source 1).

Scumbling

Using semi-opaque paint over darker grounds to create cool tones or grey blooms, allowing the underpainting to influence the final color (Source 1).

Simultaneous Contrast

Being aware that adjacent colors affect each other's perception; the painter must account for how the eye sees the complementary of a previously viewed color (Source 8).

common pitfalls

→Applying glazes before the underpainting is completely dry, which can lead to muddiness and cracking (Source 1).
→Over-modeling or becoming too tied to the outline, which can result in a stiff, lifeless portrait (Source 5).
→Ignoring the law of simultaneous contrast, leading to inaccurate color perception and muddy mixtures (Source 8).
→Focusing too much on literal likeness rather than the inner essence and character of the sitter (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 details of Dame Mary Latchford Kingsmill Jones's clothing, jewelry, or background are not described in the sources.
·The exact pose and lighting conditions of the original portrait are not specified.
·Ethel Léontine Gabain's specific personal variations on the glazing technique are not detailed beyond general Neo-Romantic practices.

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↗
- 315-318 — applied to Color perception and contrast management

cross-referenced from

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

Wikipedia: Portrait painting↗
- Portrait painting — part 2 — applied to Expression and character portrayal
Wikipedia: Composition (visual arts)↗
- Composition (visual arts) — part 6 — applied to Compositional balance and focus

Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.

read from the painting

observed from the image, not the label

6 dominant colors, measured

what the eye sees

Light falls from the upper left, catching the sitter's face and the red fabric of her robe while leaving the dark blue curtain behind her in shadow. The eye enters at her face—which is the lightest, most modeled area—then travels down the ornate gold chain and pendant at her chest. Her seated figure anchors the composition in the lower half, with the voluminous red and brown robes creating substantial mass that contrasts sharply against the cool, dark drapery behind her.

value structure

The darkest darks are in the curtain (nearly black-blue) and the shadowed left edge; the lightest lights are her face and the white cuff at her right hand. There's a distinct mid-tone band of warm browns and golds running through the robes and fur trim. Squint and you'll see three clear value groups: deep shadow background, mid-tone clothing mass, and bright face and hands.

observed palette and mixes

#32322e
ivory black + raw umber, cooled with ultramarine
deepest folds of the curtain and shadowed edges of the garment
#554133
raw umber + cadmium red + touch of black
brown velvet and fur trim of the robe
#735f42
yellow ochre + raw umber + titanium white
golden fur highlights and warm mid-tones in the drapery
#8e7d5d
yellow ochre + titanium white + raw umber
lighter warm tones in the fur cuffs and reflected light on fabric
#623123
cadmium red + raw umber + black
deep red of the main robe, particularly in shadow

edges and brushwork

Gabain uses soft, blended edges throughout the face and neck to suggest smooth skin, with the brush following form subtly. The drapery—particularly the fur trim and red fabric—shows more directional, confident brushwork that follows the folds and drape, with edges remaining relatively soft where fabric meets background but crisper where garments overlap or catch light. The chain and pendant are rendered with precise, tight edges despite being small.

a working sequence

01
Establish the dark ground and big shapes
Tint your ground with a warm mid-tone (yellow ochre + raw umber + white). Block in the blue-black curtain at the top and left using ultramarine + black, keeping it loose. Establish the sitter's silhouette in the lower half with dilute raw umber, noting how her right shoulder is lower and her torso sits quite centered.
02
Lay in the red robe and brown trim masses
Block the vivid red fabric loosely with cadmium red + white, covering the arms and main body of the garment. Lay the brown velvet overlay and collar with raw umber + cadmium red + black. Don't blend yet—just establish where warm meets warm, and where the red sings brightest (the outer edges of the sleeves and lower robe).
03
Build the golden fur and ornamental details
Map the pale fur trim on the cuffs and collar edges using yellow ochre + white + touch of raw umber. Notice the fur has a softer, slightly cooler edge where it meets shadow and a warmer, brighter edge toward the light. Begin laying in the gold chain and pendant with thick, opaque yellow ochre + white, keeping the pendant shape as a small dark keyhole form against the light fabric.
04
Model the face and neck
Establish the face with a mid-tone mixture: yellow ochre + cadmium red + white, slightly cooler in shadow on the left. The face is the brightest warm element after the fur. Block in her gray-blonde hair using ultramarine + raw umber + white, keeping it warmer on the lit side. Notice her eyes are calm and level; set them carefully in proportion—they sit roughly one-third down from crown to chin.
05
Refine skin tones and facial structure
Blend and soften the face using warm highlights (cadmium red + yellow ochre + white) on the cheekbones, forehead, and nose tip, and cooler shadow mixtures (ultramarine + raw umber + cadmium red + white) in the eye sockets and under the chin. Keep edges soft but not featureless—her bone structure is clear. The neck should be a bridge in value between face and the darker clothing.
06
Develop the drapery with directional folds
Use a palette knife or stiff brush to carve directional folds into the red and brown fabrics, following gravity and the body beneath. The red robe's folds flow downward; the brown velvet shows sharper, tighter creases. Layer lighter mixtures (cadmium red + white) into lit folds and darker reds (cadmium red + black + raw umber) into recessed ones. The fur edges should remain crisper and more defined than the fabric.
07
Refine the chain, pendant, and white cuffs
With a small, precise brush, build the gold chain using thick yellow ochre + white with sharp edges. The pendant reads as a small ornate form—keep it darker (yellow ochre + raw umber + touch of cadmium red) so it advances. Paint the white linen cuffs using titanium white + touch of yellow ochre (not pure white), with soft edges where they tuck into the red sleeves. Notice the right cuff shows white linen and shadow simultaneously.
08
Unify values and clarify the backdrop
Step back and squint. The curtain should remain deeply blue-black but not flat—add subtle ultramarine variation. Soften any hard transitions between clothing and background by glazing or blending edges where needed. Ensure the lightest lights (face, fur, cuffs, chain) read distinctly against the middle tones of the robes, and that the robes read distinctly against the dark curtain. The sitter should feel solidly seated, not floating.

where studies of this painting go wrong

Making the face too pink or too orange—the warmth is subtle and comes from reflected light off the red robe and golden trim, not from applying pure cadmium red to skin. Stay with ochre-based, muted flesh tones.
Rendering the fur trim too yellow or too uniform—the fur is pale and has directional texture. Let it catch light asymmetrically; some areas recede into cooler shadow while others glow warmly.
Flattening the drapery by blending too much—the red and brown fabrics need crisp, confident folds that show weight and volume. Use directional brushwork and preserve some edge definition.
Losing the ornate quality of the chain and pendant through overworking—these small, intricate elements read best when painted with precision and left relatively untouched. A few confident strokes beat many hesitant ones.
Misjudging the value of the blue curtain—it should feel deep and cool, but not identical to black. Squint to ensure it reads as shadow without being featureless.

measured difficulty