plate no. 0574

George Macartney, 1st Earl Macartney; Sir George Leonard Staunton, 1st Bt

oilRococoportraitportraitfiguresclothingdocumentschairhistorical

recreation guide

This artwork is a double portrait of George Macartney and Sir George Leonard Staunton, painted by Lemuel Francis Abbott in 1785. Abbott was an English painter who specialized in portrait painting, particularly of naval officers and literary figures of the late 18th and early 19th centuries (Source 3). While the specific visual details of this particular double portrait are not described in the provided sources, Abbott’s general practice involved capturing likenesses with high fidelity, as evidenced by contemporary praise for his portrait of Horatio Nelson, which was noted for its 'great likeliness' (Source 3). The work falls within the tradition of 18th-century British portraiture, likely employing oil painting techniques that were standard for the period, such as layering and glazing, which were widely practiced by old masters and contemporaries like Sir Joshua Reynolds (Source 1).

estimated time

40-60 hours over 8-12 sessions

materials

5 items

steps

6 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints (Ultramarine, White, Black, Red ochre, Yellow ochre)	Primary pigments for underpainting and glazing	Modern tube oils of equivalent pigment composition
Linseed oil or Oil of Copavia	Medium for binding pigments and creating glazes	Stand oil or refined linseed oil
Turpentine	Thinner for initial layers and cleaning brushes	Odorless mineral spirits or pure gum turpentine
Canvas or Wood Panel	Support for the painting	Linen canvas primed with gesso
Varnish	Final protective layer and to enhance depth of glazes	Dammar varnish or synthetic resin varnish

preparation

surface prep

Prepare a rigid support, likely a wood panel or tightly stretched canvas, primed with a white or light-toned gesso ground. This provides a stable surface for the multiple layers of oil paint required for the glazing and scumbling techniques characteristic of the period (Source 5).

underdrawing

Create a precise underdrawing using charcoal or thinned oil paint. As a portrait specialist known for accurate likenesses (Source 3), Abbott would have relied on careful preliminary drawing to establish proportions. The sources suggest that copying works by masters like Reynolds can help refine outline accuracy and prevent being 'too tied down' or 'too timid' (Source 2).

underpainting

Execute a monochrome underpainting (grisaille) using black, ultramarine, and white mixed with oil of copavia or linseed oil. This step establishes the tonal values of the composition without color. Sir Joshua Reynolds, a contemporary and influential figure, described his method of using black, ultramarine, and white for the first and second paintings (Source 1). This grisaille should be allowed to dry completely before proceeding.

color palette

Ultramarine

Pure ultramarine pigment

Underpainting and cool shadows, as per Reynolds' method (Source 1)

White

Lead white or zinc white

Highlights and mixing with ultramarine/black for grisaille (Source 1)

Black

Ivory black or lamp black

Shadows and defining forms in the grisaille stage (Source 1)

Red and Yellow tones

Vermilion, red ochre, yellow ochre, or lead-tin yellow

Glazing and scumbling over the dry grisaille to introduce color, particularly for flesh tones and clothing (Source 1)

composition

While the specific arrangement of Macartney and Staunton is not detailed in the sources, Abbott’s portraits typically feature the subject in a formal pose, often with a plain or neutral background to emphasize the likeness. The double portrait format suggests a balanced composition, likely with both figures facing forward or slightly turned towards each other, consistent with 18th-century diplomatic portraiture conventions.

step by step

underdrawing→underpainting→refining→finishing→varnishing

underdrawing

step 01
Sketch the figures lightly using charcoal or thinned paint, focusing on accurate proportions and facial features.
Tip — Ensure the likeness is captured early, as Abbott was known for his accurate likenesses (Source 3).
Preparatory drawing

underpainting

step 02
Apply a monochrome layer using black, ultramarine, and white mixed with oil. Establish all light and shadow values.
Tip — Mentally extract red and yellow colors, focusing only on tonal values (Source 1).
Grisaille

refining

step 03
Allow the grisaille to dry completely. Then, apply transparent glazes of red and yellow tones over the underpainting.
Tip — Glazing involves applying a transparent coat of color, similar to tinting an engraving with watercolors (Source 1).
Glazing
step 04
Use scumbling to add semi-opaque layers, particularly for highlights and cooler tones, allowing the underlying grisaille to show through.
Tip — Scumbling over a darker ground can create a grey bloom or coldness, which may be desirable for certain effects (Source 1).
Scumbling

finishing

step 05
Refine details and adjust colors using mixed varnish and oil for greater mastery and depth.
Tip — This technique was used by old masters to achieve rich, luminous colors (Source 1).
Varnish glazing

varnishing

step 06
Apply a final varnish to protect the painting and unify the surface sheen.
Tip — Varnish can be made by boiling oil with resin, such as pine resin or frankincense (Source 5).
Varnishing

critical techniques

Glazing and Scumbling

These techniques were widely practiced by old masters and contemporaries like Reynolds. Glazing adds transparent color layers, while scumbling adds semi-opaque layers, allowing the underpainting to influence the final color (Source 1).

Monochrome Underpainting

Using a grisaille of black, ultramarine, and white to establish values before adding color. This method helps in managing the complexity of color and light (Source 1).

common pitfalls

→Applying color before the underpainting is completely dry, which can lead to muddiness and cracking (Source 1).
→Over-modeling or being too tied down to the outline, which can result in a stiff appearance. Studying works by Reynolds can help correct this tendency (Source 2).
→Ignoring the effects of simultaneous contrast, where adjacent colors influence each other's appearance, leading to inaccurate color perception (Source 4).

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, such as the exact poses, clothing patterns, and background elements, are not described in the sources.
·Abbott's specific palette preferences for this particular painting are not documented; the guide relies on general 18th-century practices and Reynolds' methods.
·The exact medium Abbott used (e.g., specific type of oil or varnish) is not specified, though linseed oil and copavia are mentioned as period-appropriate (Source 1, Source 5).

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, glazing, and scumbling techniques
- ON COPYING — applied to Advice on correcting compositional and modeling errors
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 315-318 — applied to Understanding color perception and simultaneous contrast

cross-referenced from

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

Wikipedia bio — Lemuel Francis Abbott↗
- part 1 — applied to Artist's specialization in portraiture and reputation for likeness
Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- part 1 — applied to General oil painting materials and varnishing

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

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