plate no. 8299

Madame Philippe Panon Desbassayns de Richemont (Jeanne Eglé Mourgue, 1778–1855) and Her Son, Eugène (1800–1859)

oilNeoclassicismportraitportraitfiguremotherchilddresschair

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones, as well as understanding drapery and fabric folds.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a light sketch outlining the figures and main shapes.
step 02
Block in the background with a thin layer of dark brown and add texture.
step 03
Establish the basic skin tones using a limited palette of white, yellow ochre, and red.
step 04
Begin building up the values in the faces, paying attention to highlights and shadows.
step 05
Paint the white dress, observing the subtle variations in tone and shadow.
step 06
Add the green sash and red shawl, focusing on the folds and drapery.
step 07
Refine the details of the hair, eyes, and jewelry.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the realism of the portrait.

color palette

primary · titanium white · yellow ochre · burnt umber · cadmium red

secondary · viridian green · ultramarine blue

Mix white with small amounts of yellow ochre and red to create various skin tones. Use burnt umber and white for the background. Mix viridian green and white to create the sash.

techniques

·portrait painting
·glazing
·blending
·drapery rendering
·chiaroscuro

common pitfalls

→Getting the proportions of the figures wrong.
→Overworking the skin tones and losing the freshness.
→Making the white dress too flat and lifeless.
→Ignoring the subtle variations in color and value.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (18x24 inches)
·oil paints (titanium white, yellow ochre, burnt umber, cadmium red, viridian green, ultramarine blue)
·linseed oil
·turpentine
·palette
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·palette knife