plate no. 7417

Founding act of the Municipal Savings Bank of Vitoria in 1850

oilExpressionismhistory paintinginteriorfiguresarchitecturecurtainsroomhistorical event

recreation guide

This artwork, titled 'Founding act of the Municipal Savings Bank of Vitoria in 1850' by Carlos Saenz de Tejada, is classified as a history painting. According to art-historical definitions, this genre is defined by its subject matter—depicting a moment in a narrative story—rather than a specific artistic style (Source 1). While the metadata lists the style as Expressionism, this is historically inconsistent with the 1850 date and the genre's conventions; history paintings from this period typically aim for narrative clarity and often depict secular historical events, a distinction that became prominent in the 19th century (Source 2). The work likely features a large number of figures arranged to show a typical state or crucial moment in the narrative, consistent with the broad definition of history painting which includes large oil-on-canvas works produced between the Renaissance and the late 19th century (Source 1).

estimated time

40-60 hours over 8-12 sessions

materials

5 items

steps

5 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints (pigment + drying oil)	Primary medium for the painting	Standard tube oil paints
Linseed oil	General purpose drying oil for mixing paint and medium	Refined linseed oil
Linen canvas	Support for the oil painting	Primed linen canvas
White pigment (e.g., Titanium White or historically Lead White)	For highlights and mixing lighter colors; historically Lead White was dominant for its opacity and fast drying	Titanium White (non-toxic alternative to Lead White)
Siccative (optional)	To accelerate drying time if needed, historically litharge was used	Modern cobalt or iron-based siccatives

preparation

surface prep

Prepare a linen canvas support, as linen is a traditional support for oil painting derived from the flax plant (Source 4). Apply a ground suitable for oil painting. While specific preparation for Saenz de Tejada is not detailed in the sources, the practice of oil painters in this period generally followed developed forms borrowed from Flemish crafts, implying a stable, absorbent ground (Source 3).

underdrawing

The sources do not specify Saenz de Tejada's preparatory drawing methods. However, given the genre is history painting, which depicts a narrative moment with multiple figures, a detailed underdrawing is likely necessary to establish the composition and figure placement before applying paint. No specific clues to preparatory methods are provided in the text.

underpainting

Consider using a grisaille (monochrome underpainting) technique. This method involves painting the composition in neutral tones (extracting red and yellow) to establish values and forms before applying color glazes (Source 7). This was a common practice among old masters and can help manage the complexity of a multi-figure history painting (Source 7).

color palette

White

Lead White (historically) or Titanium White

General use; historically valued for opacity and fast drying (Source 4)

Lighter colors (e.g., Whites, Yellows)

Pigment mixed with Safflower, Walnut, or Poppyseed oil

Lighter tones; these oils yellow less than linseed but dry more slowly (Source 4)

General Colors

Pigment mixed with Linseed oil

General painting; linseed is the most general-purpose oil (Source 4)

composition

The composition should depict a specific moment in a narrative story, likely involving a large number of figures, as is typical for history paintings (Source 1). The scene should capture a 'typical state' or crucial moment in the founding act, rather than a static portrait or landscape (Source 1). Since the subject is a secular historical event from 1850, it falls under the 19th-century distinction of 'historical painting' within the broader history painting genre (Source 2).

step by step

underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing

underdrawing

step 01
Sketch the narrative scene on the prepared canvas, ensuring the placement of multiple figures to convey the story of the bank's founding.
Tip — Focus on capturing a specific moment in the story rather than a static pose.
Narrative composition

underpainting

step 02
Apply a grisaille underpainting using neutral tones (black, white, ultramarine) to establish values and forms.
Tip — Mentally extract red and yellow colors to focus on structure and light/shadow.
Grisaille

first pass

step 03
Once the grisaille is dry, begin glazing and scumbling colors. Use oil for the first layers.
Tip — Glazing applies transparent color; scumbling applies semi-opaque color over the underpainting.
Glazing and Scumbling

refining

step 04
Mix paints with linseed oil for general areas. Use safflower or walnut oil for lighter colors to prevent yellowing.
Tip — Be aware that lighter oils dry more slowly and may provide a weaker film.
Oil mixing

finishing

step 05
Complete the narrative details, ensuring the figures and setting clearly convey the historical event.
Tip — Ensure the scene depicts a moment in the narrative, not just a static group.
History painting conventions

critical techniques

Glazing and Scumbling

Used to apply color over a dry monochrome underpainting. Glazing is a transparent coat; scumbling is semi-opaque, allowing the underpainting to show through.

Oil Selection

Linseed oil for general use; safflower/walnut/poppyseed for light colors to reduce yellowing.

common pitfalls

→Using linseed oil for white or very light colors, which may cause them to yellow over time (Source 4).
→Failing to let the grisaille underpainting dry completely before glazing, which can muddy the colors (Source 7).
→Treating the scene as a static portrait rather than a narrative moment, which contradicts the definition of history painting (Source 1).

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 visual details of the painting (clothing, room layout, facial expressions) are not described in the sources.
·Carlos Saenz de Tejada's specific personal techniques or palette preferences are not detailed in the provided texts.
·The claim of 'Expressionism' style is historically inconsistent with the 1850 date and is not supported by the sources; the guide assumes standard 19th-century history painting practices.
·Exact pigment recipes for this specific artwork are unavailable.

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 and glazing/scumbling techniques

cross-referenced from

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

Wikipedia: History painting↗
- History painting — part 1 — applied to Definition of genre, narrative focus, and figure count
- History painting — part 6 — applied to Distinction between history and historical painting in the 19th century
Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- Oil painting — part 4 — applied to Materials, oil types, and pigment properties