plate no. 8130

Ivan Mikhailovich Yakovlev

oilRococoportraitportraitfiguremanclothingwigjewelry

recreation guide

This recreation guide addresses the painting of a portrait in the style of Vladimir Borovikovsky, a prominent Russian portraitist of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Borovikovsky’s work is characterized by a fusion of classicist and sentimental styles, often focusing on the inner world of the sitter with subtle emotional expression (Source 8). His portraits, particularly ceremonial ones, demonstrate a mastery of texture, capturing the softness of velvet, the brilliance of satin, and the sparkle of precious stones (Source 8). While specific visual details of the unnamed artwork 'Ivan Mikhailovich Yakovlev' are not provided in the sources, the guide relies on Borovikovsky’s documented general practice and standard oil painting techniques of the period to reconstruct the likely process.

estimated time

40-60 hours over 6-8 weeks (allowing for drying times between layers)

materials

7 items

steps

7 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints (Ultramarine, White, Black, Red Ochre, Yellow Ochre)	Primary pigments for underpainting and glazing, consistent with Reynolds' method cited in sources	Artist-grade oil paints
Linseed oil	Medium for mixing paint to ensure 'fat over lean' application	Refined linseed oil
Mineral spirits or Turpentine	Thinner for initial layers and cleaning brushes	Odorless mineral spirits
Oil of Copavia (or Dammar varnish)	Medium for glazing layers, as noted in Reynolds' practice which influenced the era	Dammar varnish or stand oil
Canvas	Support for the painting	Linen or cotton canvas, primed
Charcoal or thinned paint	For initial sketching of the subject	Vine charcoal or raw umber thinned with solvent
Paintbrushes and Palette Knives	Application and scraping of paint	Hog bristle and sable brushes, metal palette knives

preparation

surface prep

The canvas should be primed with a ground suitable for oil painting. While specific priming methods for Borovikovsky are not detailed in the sources, traditional oil painting practice involves preparing a stable surface to prevent cracking (Source 2). The artist must ensure the ground is dry before beginning.

underdrawing

Traditional oil painting techniques often begin with the artist sketching the subject onto the canvas with charcoal or thinned paint (Source 2, Source 3). Given Borovikovsky’s focus on likeness and subtle expression, a careful underdrawing would be essential to establish proportions and features accurately.

underpainting

A grisaille (monochrome underpainting) is likely appropriate, as glazing and scumbling over a dry grisaille was a method practised by old masters and recommended for achieving depth (Source 4). The underpainting should establish values without the red and yellow colors, which are added later via glazing (Source 4).

color palette

Ultramarine

Pure ultramarine pigment

Underpainting and cool shadows, consistent with Reynolds' method (Source 4)

White

Lead white or titanium white

Highlights and mixing tints in the underpainting (Source 4)

Black

Ivory black or lamp black

Shadows and defining forms in the underpainting (Source 4)

Red and Yellow tones

Vermilion, red ochre, yellow ochre

Glazing and scumbling to add warmth and flesh tones, applied over the dry underpainting (Source 4)

composition

Borovikovsky’s portraits often feature a restrained appearance with interior backgrounds in his later works, focusing on the citizenship and dignity of the portrayed (Source 8). The composition likely emphasizes the sitter’s inner world with limited emotional expression, typical of his sentimental style (Source 8). Specific compositional elements of this unnamed portrait are not described in the sources.

step by step

underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing→varnishing

underdrawing

step 01
Sketch the subject onto the canvas using charcoal or thinned paint to establish proportions and key features.
Tip — Ensure the likeness is accurate, as Borovikovsky focused on capturing the sitter's inner world.
Initial sketching

underpainting

step 02
Create a grisaille underpainting using black, ultramarine, and white mixed with oil of copavia or a similar medium.
Tip — Mentally extract red and yellow colors, focusing on values and forms (Source 4).
Grisaille

first pass

step 03
Allow the grisaille to dry completely before proceeding.
Tip — Oil paint dries by oxidation, usually within two weeks (Source 2).
Drying

refining

step 04
Apply glazes of red and yellow tones over the dry underpainting to add color and warmth.
Tip — Use a transparent coat of color, similar to tinting an engraving with watercolors (Source 4).
Glazing
step 05
Scumble semi-opaque paint over darker areas to adjust tones and textures.
Tip — This technique allows the underlying painting to show through, adding depth (Source 4).
Scumbling

finishing

step 06
Refine details, particularly textures like velvet or satin, using thin layers of paint.
Tip — Borovikovsky was known for his mastery of texture in ceremonial portraits (Source 8).
Texture rendering

varnishing

step 07
Apply a final varnish to protect the painting and unify the surface sheen.
Tip — Ensure the painting is completely dry before varnishing.
Varnishing

critical techniques

Fat over Lean

Each additional layer of paint should contain more oil than the layer below to allow proper drying and prevent cracking (Source 2).

Glazing

Applying transparent coats of color over a dry underpainting to achieve depth and luminosity, a method used by old masters and Reynolds (Source 4).

Scumbling

Using semi-opaque paint to adjust tones and textures, allowing the underlying layer to influence the final appearance (Source 4).

common pitfalls

→Applying lean layers over fat layers, which can cause the painting to crack and peel (Source 2).
→Over-modeling or being too tied down to the outline, which can result in a stiff appearance (Source 1).
→Neglecting the drying time between layers, leading to mixing of wet paint and muddiness (Source 2).
→Failing to capture the subtle textures of fabrics and jewelry, which are key to Borovikovsky’s style (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 visual details of the portrait 'Ivan Mikhailovich Yakovlev' are not provided in the sources.
·Borovikovsky’s exact palette and material preferences are not detailed in the sources, so general period practices are inferred.
·The specific composition and background of this unnamed portrait are unknown.

grounded in

The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.

The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- ON COPYING — applied to General advice on avoiding over-modeling and smallness in detail
- COLOURING A MONOCHROME — applied to Grisaille underpainting, glazing, and scumbling techniques

cross-referenced from

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

Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- Oil painting — part 2 — applied to Techniques of sketching, fat over lean rule, drying times, and use of mediums
Wikipedia bio — Vladimir Borovikovsky↗
- part 2 — applied to Artist’s style, focus on texture, and sentimental/classicist fusion

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