plate no. 9602
Landscape with a view of Mount Ararat
Martiros Sarian, 1937
recreation guide
Martiros Sarian’s 'Landscape with a view of Mount Ararat' (1937) is a work rooted in the Expressionist tradition, characterized by its emotional intensity and stylized representation of natural scenery. As a landscape painting, it depicts natural elements such as mountains and sky, arranged into a coherent composition where the sky is almost always included and weather often serves as an atmospheric element (Source 4). The artwork reflects Sarian’s deep connection to his Armenian heritage, inspired by his travels and the specific topography of the region, which he sought to capture not just topographically but with a spiritual and nationalistic resonance consistent with early 20th-century artistic movements (Source 3, Source 5).
estimated time
20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions, allowing for proper drying times between layers to adhere to the 'fat over lean' principle.
materials
7 items
steps
6 in sequence
materials
| item | purpose | modern equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Oil paints (artist grade) | Primary medium for color application and layering. | — |
| Linseed oil | Medium to thin paint and increase oil content in upper layers for proper drying. | Stand oil or refined linseed oil |
| Mineral spirits or turpentine | Solvent to thin initial layers ('lean' layers) and clean brushes. | Odorless mineral spirits (OMS) |
| Charcoal | For initial sketching and underdrawing on the canvas. | Vine charcoal or compressed charcoal |
| Canvas | Support surface for the oil painting. | Linen or cotton canvas, primed |
| Paintbrushes and palette knives | Application of paint; knives can be used for scraping or impasto texture. | — |
| Rags | For wiping away wet paint or applying glazes/scumbles. | Lint-free cotton rags |
preparation
surface prep
The canvas should be primed with a traditional ground suitable for oil painting. While specific priming recipes for Sarian are not detailed in the sources, traditional oil painting techniques assume a prepared surface that allows for the 'fat over lean' rule to function correctly, ensuring the paint film remains stable and does not crack or peel (Source 1).
underdrawing
Begin by sketching the subject onto the canvas using charcoal or thinned paint. This initial stage allows for corrections before paint is applied, as charcoal offers little resistance to a brush and can be easily modified (Source 1, Source 3). Focus on the contour and mass of the mountain and landscape elements rather than minute details, using lines to establish volume and perspective (Source 6).
underpainting
Apply an initial monochromatic layer (grisaille) or a lean wash using raw umber and white with turpentine. This establishes the tonal values and composition. The goal is to extract the color temporarily to focus on form and light, similar to the method described for painting from life where one paints with the idea of going over it multiple times (Source 2, Source 3). Ensure this layer is 'lean' (low oil content) to allow subsequent layers to dry properly.
color palette
Raw Umber
Raw Umber pigment
Underpainting and establishing dark tones, consistent with traditional oil painting practices described in the sources.
White
Titanium or Zinc White
Highlighting and mixing with umber for the underpainting.
Ultramarine
Ultramarine Blue
General use in traditional oil painting methods for cool tones and skies, as noted in Reynolds' method.
Red and Yellow tones
Various reds and yellows
Glazing and scumbling to introduce warmth and color, particularly in the landscape elements, following the technique of tinting an engraving.
composition
The composition likely emphasizes the wide view of Mount Ararat, with the sky included as a significant element to convey weather and atmosphere (Source 4). Sarian’s approach to landscape was influenced by the desire to express the special nature of the homeland, potentially using the gigantic scale or prominent placement of the mountain as a nationalist statement (Source 5). The arrangement of elements should create a coherent composition where the mountain serves as the focal point, with surrounding landscape elements arranged to lead the eye toward it.
step by step
underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing→varnishing
underdrawing
step 01
Sketch the outline of Mount Ararat and the surrounding landscape using charcoal. Focus on the contour and mass of the forms rather than details.
Tip — Ensure the drawing is slightly smaller than life if referencing a model, and check proportions frequently.
Contour drawing
underpainting
step 02
Apply a thin layer of raw umber and white mixed with turpentine to establish the basic tonal values. This layer should be 'lean' (low oil content).
Tip — Do not fear making corrections at this stage; charcoal and thin paint are easily modified.
Grisaille/Underpainting
first pass
step 03
Begin applying color in broader strokes, focusing on the main masses of the landscape. Use brushes or palette knives to apply paint.
Tip — Adhere to the 'fat over lean' rule: ensure this layer has slightly more oil than the underpainting.
Direct painting
refining
step 04
Use glazing and scumbling techniques to refine colors. Glaze with transparent coats of red and yellow tones to warm up the landscape, and scumble semi-opaque layers to create texture and coldness where needed.
Tip — Glazing adds depth and luminosity, while scumbling can create a 'grey bloom' or atmospheric effect.
Glazing and Scumbling
finishing
step 05
Adjust the final details, ensuring that the contrast between colors is harmonious. Use the principle of simultaneous contrast to enhance the visual impact of adjacent colors.
Tip — Be aware that colors may appear different due to simultaneous contrast; adjust accordingly.
Color Contrast
varnishing
step 06
Once the painting is completely dry (typically two weeks or more), apply a varnish to protect the surface and unify the sheen.
Tip — Ensure the painting is fully dry to prevent trapping solvents underneath.
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. This is a basic rule of oil paint application.
Glazing and Scumbling
Glazing involves applying a transparent coat of color, while scumbling involves a semi-opaque layer. These techniques are used to adjust translucency, sheen, and density, and to introduce color tones like red and yellow over a monochrome underpainting.
Contour Drawing
Used in the underdrawing phase to emphasize the mass and volume of the subject, focusing on the outlined shape rather than minor details.
common pitfalls
- →Applying a 'lean' layer over a 'fat' layer, which can cause the painting to crack and peel as it dries (Source 1).
- →Making corrections in paint after the initial layers have hardened, which can be fatal to the lucidity of the painting. Corrections should be made in the charcoal or thin paint stage (Source 3).
- →Ignoring the effects of simultaneous contrast, which can lead to inaccurate color perception and application (Source 7).
- →Overworking the paint before it is dry, which can muddy the colors and destroy the brushstroke texture (Source 1).
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 color palette used by Sarian for this particular painting is not detailed in the sources; the palette is inferred from general oil painting practices and Sarian's general style.
- ·Exact compositional details of 'Landscape with a view of Mount Ararat' are not described in the sources; the composition notes are based on general landscape painting principles and Sarian's thematic interests.
- ·Specific brushwork techniques unique to Sarian are not detailed; the guide relies on general Expressionist and oil painting techniques.
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 Glazing and scumbling techniques, use of grisaille underpainting.
- PAINTING FROM LIFE — applied to Underdrawing with charcoal, correcting errors early, use of raw umber.
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 315-318 — applied to Principles of simultaneous contrast and color perception.
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 General oil painting techniques, 'fat over lean' rule, materials, and drying times.
Wikipedia: Landscape painting↗
- Landscape painting — part 1 — applied to Definition of landscape painting, inclusion of sky and weather, composition principles.
- Landscape painting — part 7 — applied to Nationalist themes in landscape painting, influence of Romanticism.
Wikipedia: Contour drawing↗
- Contour drawing — part 1 — applied to Underdrawing technique focusing on mass and volume.
Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.
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