plate no. 2062
Girl in a Japanese Costume
William Merritt Chase, 1890
recreation guide
William Merritt Chase’s 'Girl in a Japanese Costume' (1890) is a portrait executed in the Impressionist style, characterized by a focus on light, color, and the immediate visual impression of the subject. While specific visual details of the costume or background are not described in the provided sources, the work aligns with Chase’s broader practice of oil painting, which often involved sophisticated layering techniques. The painting likely employs a method where the artist mentally extracts certain color tones to establish a structural underpainting before applying transparent and semi-opaque layers to achieve the final chromatic effect. This approach allows for a dynamic interplay of light and shadow, consistent with the principles of simultaneous contrast and color harmony discussed in the sources.
estimated time
20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions
materials
4 items
steps
5 in sequence
materials
| item | purpose | modern equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Oil paints (Black, Ultramarine, White, Yellow, Red tones) | For the grisaille underpainting and subsequent glazing/scumbling layers | — |
| Oil of Copavia (or modern linseed/stand oil) | Medium for the first and second paintings to facilitate flow and transparency | Stand oil or refined linseed oil |
| Canvas | Support for the oil painting | — |
| Varnish | Mixed with oil for later glazing stages to gain mastery over transparency | Dammar varnish or similar painting medium |
preparation
surface prep
The canvas should be prepared to accept oil paint. While specific ground preparation for this exact painting is not detailed in the sources, the technique described involves working on a surface that can support a dry grisaille underpainting before glazing. The artist likely used a neutral or toned ground to facilitate the extraction of red and yellow tones in the initial monochrome stage (Source 1).
underdrawing
The sources do not specify Chase’s underdrawing method for this portrait. However, general advice for copying and painting suggests that a sound craftsman must first master the 'alphabet of our art' (Source 6). It is likely that a loose, gestural underdrawing was used to establish the composition and proportions, consistent with Impressionist practices, though specific lines are not preserved in the final glaze-heavy surface.
underpainting
The process likely began with a grisaille (monochrome) underpainting. The artist would mentally extract red and yellow colors, translating what would remain in nature if these colors were absent, using black, ultramarine, and white (Source 1). This grisaille establishes the value structure and chiaroscuro before color is introduced. This step is crucial for 'devoting themselves to great effects' from which 'many small ones resulted' (Source 2).
color palette
Black, Ultramarine, White
Pure pigments
The initial grisaille underpainting to establish values and form (Source 1)
Yellow and Red tones
Transparent oils
Glazing and scumbling over the dry grisaille to introduce color, similar to tinting an engraving (Source 1)
Complementary pairs (e.g., Blue-Orange, Red-Green)
Dependent on specific costume details
Creating contrast and harmony; placing complementary colors next to each other creates strong contrast and visual tension (Source 4, Source 7)
composition
The composition likely emphasizes the central figure, utilizing the principles of visual ordering where elements relate to the whole artwork (Source 5). While specific layout details are not provided, the artist would have considered the 'utility of the law' to harmonize colors inherent to the object (the costume) with those chosen for the background (Source 2). The arrangement likely avoids static symmetry, instead using dynamic contrasts of tone and color to guide the viewer's eye (Source 2, Source 5).
step by step
underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing
underpainting
step 01
Create a grisaille underpainting using black, ultramarine, and white. Mentally extract red and yellow tones to focus on the underlying structure and values.
Tip — Ensure the grisaille is completely dry before proceeding to glazing.
Grisaille
first pass
step 02
Apply the first painting with oil of copavia (or similar medium) using the grisaille colors to refine the form.
Tip — Focus on broad masses and correct values before introducing color.
Oil painting with medium
refining
step 03
Glaze and scumble with oil, introducing yellow and red tones as they occur in the subject. Treat this like tinting an engraving with watercolors.
Tip — Glazing is a transparent coat; scumbling is semi-opaque. Use scumbling over darker grounds to create coldness or grey blooms.
Glazing and Scumbling
step 04
As mastery increases, mix varnish with oil for subsequent glazing layers to enhance depth and luminosity.
Tip — Be cautious of the 'prejudice against this method' among modern painters, but recognize its use by old masters for rich effects.
Varnish glazing
finishing
step 05
Adjust colors based on simultaneous contrast. Ensure that juxtaposed colors enhance each other, with the lightest tone lowered and the darkest heightened.
Tip — Check for 'mixed contrast' effects where the eye’s tendency to see the complementary of a previously viewed color might distort perception.
Simultaneous Contrast
critical techniques
Glazing and Scumbling
Glazing involves applying a transparent coat of color over a dry underpainting. Scumbling involves semi-opaque painting where the underlying layer shows through. This method was practiced by old masters and allows for rich, luminous effects and the creation of 'grey blooms' over darker grounds (Source 1).
Simultaneous Contrast
When two colors are juxtaposed, they appear modified by the complementary of the other. The artist must account for this to accurately represent the model and harmonize the composition. This law helps in perceiving and imitating light modifications promptly (Source 2, Source 8).
Color Harmony
Using complementary, split-complementary, or analogous colors to create aesthetically pleasing combinations. Complementary colors create the most contrast and visual tension (Source 7).
common pitfalls
- →Failing to let the grisaille dry completely before glazing, which can muddy the colors and ruin the transparency effect (Source 1).
- →Ignoring the effects of simultaneous contrast, leading to inaccurate color representation where juxtaposed colors appear altered by their neighbors (Source 2, Source 8).
- →Over-modeling or becoming too tied to outlines, which can result in a 'smallness' that detracts from the broad, impressionistic effects (Source 6).
- →Allowing 'mixed contrast' to distort perception, where the eye’s fatigue from viewing one color affects the perception of the next (Source 8).
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 the Japanese costume (patterns, exact colors, accessories) are not described in the sources.
- ·The exact background setting and room layout are not specified.
- ·Chase’s specific brushwork style for this portrait is not detailed, only general Impressionist tendencies.
- ·The specific proportions and pose of the girl are not described.
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, scumbling, and medium usage
- ON COPYING — applied to General craft advice and avoiding over-modeling
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 6. Put beside each other two flat tints... — applied to Simultaneous contrast and color harmony principles
cross-referenced from
Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.
Wikipedia: Complementary colors↗
- Complementary colors — part 1 — applied to Understanding color pairs and contrast
Wikipedia: Harmony (color)↗
- Harmony (color) — part 1 — applied to Color harmony strategies
Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.
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