plate no. 8967

Her Eyes are with Her Thoughts and They are Far Away

oilRomanticismportraitfigureflowersarchitecturesealandscapecolumns

recreation guide

Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema’s *Her Eyes are with Her Thoughts and They are Far Away* (1897) is a portrait executed in oil, situated within the Romanticism style. While the specific visual details of the sitter’s attire or background are not described in the provided sources, the work belongs to the genre of portrait painting, which historically aims to achieve a recognizable likeness of the sitter (Source 6). Alma-Tadema’s practice, consistent with the 'old masters' referenced in technical literature, likely involved a methodical approach to color and light. The painting would have utilized principles of simultaneous contrast and chiaroscuro to create depth and harmony, where juxtaposed tones enfeeble or heighten one another to produce a true gradation of light (Source 1). The artist’s technique likely relied on glazing and scumbling over a monochrome underpainting to achieve the luminous quality characteristic of his period, rather than direct opaque application (Source 3).

estimated time

40-60 hours over 8-12 sessions

materials

4 items

steps

7 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints (Ultramarine, White, Black, Red, Yellow)	Primary pigments for underpainting and glazing	High-quality artist-grade oils
Oil of Copavia (or modern linseed/stand oil)	Medium for the first and second paintings, as noted by Reynolds in the context of old master techniques	Stand oil or walnut oil for slower drying
Varnish	Mixed with oil for later glazing stages to gain mastery over transparent coats	Dammar or synthetic resin varnish
Canvas or Panel	Support for the oil painting	Linen canvas primed with gesso

preparation

surface prep

The surface should be prepared to accept a monochrome underpainting. While specific priming details for this exact work are not in the sources, the technique described involves a 'grisaille' (monochrome) base that must be 'quite dry' before glazing (Source 3). This suggests a stable, non-absorbent ground that allows for the layering of transparent oils without lifting the underlayer.

underdrawing

The sources do not explicitly describe Alma-Tadema’s underdrawing method for this specific portrait. However, general advice for copying works suggests that artists should be 'sound craftsmen' who understand their medium’s capacities (Source 8). It is likely that a precise underdrawing was used to establish the likeness, as portrait painting aims for a recognizable record of the sitter’s appearance (Source 6).

underpainting

A monochrome underpainting (grisaille) is recommended, consistent with the method described for old masters. This involves painting the form in neutral tones, mentally extracting red and yellow colors to establish value and structure (Source 3). Sir Joshua Reynolds’ method, cited as representative of established practice, used black, ultramarine, and white for the first and second paintings (Source 3).

color palette

Ultramarine

Pure ultramarine pigment

Underpainting and cool shadows, as part of Reynolds’ established method (Source 3)

White

Lead white or titanium white

Highlights and mixing with ultramarine/black for the grisaille (Source 3)

Black

Ivory black or lamp black

Dark values in the underpainting (Source 3)

Red and Yellow tones

Transparent reds (e.g., vermilion, cadmium) and yellows (e.g., chrome, cadmium)

Glazing and scumbling over the dry grisaille to add flesh tones and warmth (Source 3)

composition

The composition likely adheres to principles of visual ordering, using line, shape, and value to guide the eye (Source 4). While specific layout details are not provided, the artist would have considered the 'simultaneous contrast' of colors, ensuring that juxtaposed tones create a harmonious gradation of light rather than flat juxtaposition (Source 1). The portrait genre implies a focus on the human figure, where flesh colors are fixed by the model, but draperies and background are chosen by the painter to harmonize with the inherent colors (Source 1).

step by step

underdrawing→underpainting→drying→refining→finishing→glazing→scumbling

underdrawing

step 01
Sketch the likeness of the sitter, focusing on accurate proportions and facial features to ensure a recognizable record.
Tip — Ensure the drawing is precise, as the subsequent layers will build upon this structure.
Portrait drawing

underpainting

step 02
Create a grisaille (monochrome) underpainting using black, ultramarine, and white. Establish the full range of values from dark to light.
Tip — Mentally extract red and yellow colors, focusing only on value and form (Source 3).
Grisaille

drying

step 03
Allow the grisaille to dry completely. This is crucial before applying glazes.
Tip — Rushing this step can cause the underpainting to mix with glazes, muddying the colors.
Drying

refining

step 06
Adjust colors based on simultaneous contrast. Ensure that juxtaposed colors do not appear flat but interact to create a gradation of light.
Tip — Be aware that the eye may see colors inaccurately due to mixed contrast; check colors against neutral backgrounds (Source 5).
Simultaneous Contrast

finishing

step 07
Finalize the likeness and harmonize the composition. Ensure that the chosen draperies and background colors harmonize with the inherent flesh tones.
Tip — Use complementary or analogous colors to create pleasing contrasts and consonances (Source 7).
Color Harmony

glazing

step 04
Apply transparent coats of red and yellow tones over the grisaille. Use oil of copavia or a similar medium.
Tip — Glazing is a transparent coat of color that allows the underlying painting to show through, creating depth (Source 3).
Glazing

scumbling

step 05
Use semi-opaque paint (scumbling) to adjust tones, particularly in areas where a 'grey bloom' or coldness is desired over darker grounds.
Tip — Scumbling allows the underlying painting to make itself felt, adding texture and variation (Source 3).
Scumbling

critical techniques

Glazing and Scumbling

Used by old masters to build color and depth over a monochrome underpainting. Glazing adds transparent color, while scumbling adds semi-opaque texture (Source 3).

Simultaneous Contrast

Understanding that juxtaposed colors affect each other’s appearance. The highest tone is enfeebled and the lowest heightened, creating a true gradation of light (Source 1).

Monochrome Underpainting

Establishing value structure without color interference, allowing for precise control over light and shadow before introducing hue (Source 3).

common pitfalls

→Failing to let the grisaille dry completely before glazing, which can ruin the transparency and clarity of the final image (Source 3).
→Ignoring simultaneous contrast, leading to flat or inaccurate color relationships where juxtaposed tones do not interact to create depth (Source 1).
→Over-modeling or becoming too tied to the outline, which can result in a stiff appearance. Copying works like Reynolds’ portraits can help check this tendency (Source 8).
→Misjudging colors due to mixed contrast, where the eye sees the complementary of a previously viewed color rather than the true color (Source 5).

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 sitter’s clothing, jewelry, or background are not described in the sources, so these must be inferred from the artist’s general style or left to the artist’s discretion.
·The exact proportions and dimensions of the painting are not provided.
·Specific brushwork techniques (e.g., impasto vs. smooth finish) are not detailed, though glazing implies a smoother surface.
·The specific lighting setup or time of day depicted is 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, and scumbling techniques
- ON COPYING — applied to General craftsmanship and avoiding over-modeling
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 6. Put beside each other two flat tints... — applied to Chiaroscuro and simultaneous contrast principles
- 315-318. Simultaneous contrast of colours — applied to Color interaction and accuracy in perception

cross-referenced from

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

Wikipedia: Portrait painting↗
- Portrait painting — part 1 — applied to Genre context and goal of likeness
Wikipedia: Harmony (color)↗
- Harmony (color) — part 1 — applied to Color harmony and complementary colors

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

tips & new artworks in your inbox

no spam — unsubscribe anytime.

or to save artworks, chat, and track progress

chat about this artwork

in this vein