plate no. 8074
Italy. Assisi
Zinaida Serebriakova, 1932
recreation guide
Zinaida Serebriakova’s 1932 oil painting 'Italy. Assisi' represents a shift in her career from the rural Russian themes of her early fame to European cityscapes during her period of exile. While specific visual details of Assisi’s architecture are not described in the provided sources, the work falls within the genre of landscape and cityscape painting, which traditionally emphasizes coherent composition and the inclusion of sky and weather elements (Source 4). Serebriakova’s practice was grounded in rigorous academic training; she was recognized by the Imperial Academy of Arts for her craftsmanship before the Revolution (Source 8). Her approach to oil painting likely adhered to traditional techniques, such as the 'fat over lean' rule to ensure stability, and the use of solvents to adjust drying times and consistency (Source 1). The expressionist style suggests a focus on the expressive capacity of the paint, potentially utilizing texture and brushwork to convey form and space rather than strict topographical accuracy (Source 1, Source 3).
estimated time
20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions
materials
8 items
steps
7 in sequence
materials
| item | purpose | modern equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Oil paints (artist grade) | Primary medium for the painting | — |
| Linseed oil | Medium to thin paint and increase oil content for upper layers ('fat over lean') | Stand oil or refined linseed oil |
| Mineral spirits or turpentine | Solvent to thin paint for initial layers and clean brushes | Odorless mineral spirits (OMS) |
| Canvas | Support for the oil painting | Linen or cotton canvas, primed |
| Charcoal or thinned paint | For initial sketching of the subject onto the canvas | Vine charcoal or diluted oil paint |
| Paintbrushes | Primary tool for transferring paint to the surface | Hog bristle and synthetic brushes |
| Palette knives | Alternative application method for texture or scraping off wet paint | Flexible steel palette knives |
| Rags | For wiping away wet paint or adjusting texture | Lint-free cotton rags |
preparation
surface prep
The canvas should be properly primed to accept oil paint. While specific priming methods for this 1932 work are not detailed, traditional oil painting practice involves preparing a stable ground to prevent cracking. Serebriakova’s academic background suggests adherence to standard professional preparations of the era.
underdrawing
Traditional oil painting techniques often begin with the artist sketching the subject onto the canvas with charcoal or thinned paint (Source 1). For a cityscape, contour drawing techniques may be useful to emphasize the mass and volume of buildings rather than minor details, focusing on the outlined shape and three-dimensional perspective (Source 6).
underpainting
A grisaille (monochrome underpainting) may be employed. This involves painting the composition in neutral tones, mentally extracting red and yellow colors, to establish values and forms before applying color glazes (Source 2). This method allows the artist to focus on composition and light/shadow relationships before introducing complex color interactions.
color palette
Ultramarine
Ultramarine pigment
General use in traditional oil painting, often used in underpainting or for cool shadows (Source 2)
White
Lead white or Titanium white
Highlighting and mixing tints, essential for chiaroscuro effects (Source 2)
Black
Ivory black or Lamp black
Deep shadows and defining contours in underpainting (Source 2)
Red and Yellow tones
Vermilion, Cadmium Red, Yellow Ochre, etc.
Applied via glazing and scumbling over the dry grisaille to add warmth and local color (Source 2)
Blue
Ultramarine or Cobalt Blue
Sky and cool atmospheric elements, consistent with landscape traditions (Source 4, Source 7)
composition
The composition likely organizes the cityscape elements into a coherent structure, utilizing line, shape, and space to guide the viewer’s eye (Source 3). As a landscape/cityscape, it probably includes the sky and weather elements as part of the composition (Source 4). Serebriakova’s academic training suggests a deliberate arrangement of forms, possibly using contour lines to define the mass of buildings and streets (Source 6). The expressionist style may involve altering the character of marks to suggest distance and form, with lighter values for distant objects and darker contours for foreground elements (Source 6).
step by step
underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing→varnishing
underdrawing
step 01
Sketch the main architectural forms and spatial layout of Assisi onto the canvas using charcoal or thinned paint.
Tip — Focus on the mass and volume of buildings rather than fine details; use line weight to suggest depth.
Contour drawing
underpainting
step 02
Apply a monochrome grisaille layer using black, ultramarine, and white to establish values and forms. Extract red and yellow tones mentally to focus on structure.
Tip — Ensure this layer is completely dry before proceeding to avoid muddying colors.
Grisaille
first pass
step 03
Begin applying color using glazing and scumbling techniques. Glaze transparent coats of color over the dry grisaille, particularly for red and yellow tones.
Tip — Use oil as a medium initially. Glazing allows the underlying painting to show through, creating depth.
Glazing
refining
step 04
Scumble semi-opaque paint over darker areas to create coldness or grey blooms, adjusting the sheen and density of the paint.
Tip — Scumbling over darker grounds tends to produce cooler tones; use this to adjust atmospheric perspective.
Scumbling
step 05
Apply subsequent layers of paint ensuring each layer contains more oil than the one below ('fat over lean') to prevent cracking.
Tip — Monitor drying times; oil paint dries by oxidation, taking up to two weeks to dry to the touch.
Fat over lean
finishing
step 06
Adjust textures and forms using palette knives or rags if necessary. Oil paint remains wet long enough to modify color, texture, or form.
Tip — Palette knives can scrape off paint or apply thick impasto for expressive texture.
Palette knife application
varnishing
step 07
Once fully dry, apply varnish to protect the painting and unify the sheen.
Tip — Ensure the painting is completely dry to avoid trapping solvents.
Varnishing
critical techniques
Fat over lean
A basic rule of oil paint application where each additional layer contains more oil than the layer below to allow proper drying and prevent cracking (Source 1).
Glazing
Applying a transparent coat of color over a dry underpainting to build up luminosity and depth, particularly for red and yellow tones (Source 2).
Scumbling
Applying semi-opaque paint over a darker ground to create coldness or grey blooms, allowing the underlying painting to show through (Source 2).
Contour drawing
Using lines to emphasize the mass and volume of the subject, focusing on outlined shapes and three-dimensional perspective rather than minor details (Source 6).
common pitfalls
- →Applying lean layers over fat layers, which can cause the final painting to crack and peel (Source 1).
- →Over-modeling or becoming too tied down to outlines, which can result in a stiff appearance; copying works by artists like Reynolds or Velazquez can help correct this tendency (Source 5).
- →Ignoring the drying time of oil paint, which dries by oxidation and can take up to two weeks to dry to the touch (Source 1).
- →Failing to allow the grisaille underpainting to dry completely before glazing, which can muddy the colors (Source 2).
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 Assisi cityscape (e.g., exact buildings, street layout, lighting conditions) are not described in the sources.
- ·Serebriakova’s specific palette choices for this 1932 work are not detailed; the palette list is inferred from general oil painting practices and her academic background.
- ·The extent to which Serebriakova used expressionist techniques versus traditional academic methods in this specific work is not explicitly stated, though the style is labeled as Expressionism.
- ·Information on whether she used varnish or specific resins in this painting is not provided, though these are mentioned as possible media in general oil painting (Source 1).
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, glazing, and scumbling techniques
- ON COPYING — applied to Advice on correcting over-modeling and stiffness
cross-referenced from
Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.
Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- part 2 — applied to General oil painting techniques, fat over lean rule, drying times, use of solvents and palette knives
Wikipedia: Composition (visual arts)↗
- part 1 — applied to Composition principles, elements of design
Wikipedia: Landscape painting↗
- part 1 — applied to Landscape/cityscape genre conventions, inclusion of sky and weather
Wikipedia: Contour drawing↗
- part 1 — applied to Underdrawing techniques, emphasizing mass and volume
Wikipedia bio — Zinaida Serebriakova↗
- part 2 — applied to Artist’s background, academic recognition, and shift in subject matter
Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.
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