plate no. 1422

Nathalie Petrovna Golitsyn

oilRococoportraitportraitfigurelaceclothingshawlheadwear

recreation guide

This recreation guide addresses the painting of a portrait in the style of Vladimir Borovikovsky, specifically targeting the Rococo and sentimental chamber portrait genre for which he was renowned in the late 1790s. Borovikovsky’s work is characterized by a fusion of classicist structure and sentimental expression, aiming to convey the 'inner world' and 'diversity of innermost feelings' of the sitter rather than merely their outward appearance (Source 1). His female portraits, such as those of the Golitsyn family, typically embody the ideal of beauty of his era, utilizing a restrained emotional expression that relies heavily on the eyes and eyebrows to register subtle emotions like wistfulness or gentle contentment (Source 1, Source 6). Technically, Borovikovsky was a left-handed painter who achieved fame for his mastery of texture, particularly in ceremonial portraits where he rendered the softness of velvet, the brilliance of satin, and the sparkle of precious stones (Source 1). While specific visual details of Nathalie Petrovna Golitsyn’s attire are not described in the provided sources, the general practice involves a transition from a monochrome underpainting to layered glazes and scumbles to achieve depth and translucency (Source 3). The artist’s later shift toward more restrained interiors and dignified citizenship suggests a compositional focus on the subject’s character and moral quality, avoiding fleeting or accidental expressions (Source 1, Source 6).

estimated time

40-60 hours over 8-12 sessions (allowing for drying times between glazes)

materials

6 items

steps

6 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints (Ultramarine, White, Black, Red Ochre, Yellow Ochre, Vermilion)	Primary pigments for underpainting and glazing. Ultramarine, white, and black are specifically noted in Reynolds' method cited in Source 3.	—
Linseed oil	Medium to thin paint and ensure 'fat over lean' layering for proper drying and stability.	Refined linseed oil
Mineral spirits or Turpentine	Solvent for thinning initial layers and cleaning brushes. Essential for the 'lean' initial layers.	Odorless mineral spirits (OMS)
Canvas or Panel	Support for the oil painting.	Linen canvas primed with gesso
Charcoal or Thinned Paint	For the initial sketching of the subject onto the surface.	Vine charcoal or diluted raw umber
Copal Varnish (optional/historical)	Used in glazing mediums as noted by Sir Joshua Reynolds in Source 3, though modern artists may use damar resin.	Damar resin varnish

preparation

surface prep

Prepare a rigid support (panel or stretched canvas) with a smooth ground. Borovikovsky’s mastery of texture and detail suggests a fine-tooth surface rather than a heavy weave, allowing for the subtle rendering of skin tones and fabric textures. While the specific ground recipe is not detailed in the sources, traditional oil painting practices of the era typically involved a white or off-white gesso or chalk ground to allow for the full range of glazing techniques described in Source 3.

underdrawing

Begin by sketching the subject onto the canvas using charcoal or thinned paint (Source 2, Source 4). Given Borovikovsky’s focus on the 'inner essence' and 'character' of the sitter (Source 6), the underdrawing should prioritize accurate proportions and the specific tilt of the head (likely a three-quarter view, common in portraiture) to capture the intended expression. The eyes and eyebrows are critical, as they register the majority of the emotional content in this style (Source 6).

underpainting

Execute a monochrome underpainting (grisaille). According to traditional methods cited in Source 3, this stage involves 'mentally extracting the red and yellow colours' to establish values and forms. Use a limited palette of black, ultramarine, and white (as noted in Reynolds' method in Source 3) or earth tones to model the figure. This layer must be allowed to dry completely before proceeding to color glazes.

color palette

Ultramarine

Pure ultramarine pigment

Underpainting shadows and cool tones, as per the method cited in Source 3.

White

Lead white or modern titanium/zinc white

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

Black

Ivory black or lamp black

Deep shadows in the underpainting (Source 3).

Red and Yellow Tones

Vermilion, red ochre, yellow ochre

Applied later as transparent glazes and semi-opaque scumbles to introduce warmth and flesh tones, mimicking the 'tinting of an engraving' (Source 3).

composition

While the specific composition of Nathalie Petrovna Golitsyn is not detailed in the sources, Borovikovsky’s chamber portraits characteristically focus on the subject’s inner world with limited emotional expression (Source 1). The composition likely centers the sitter, possibly against a neutral or interior background, as his later work replaced landscape backgrounds with depictions of interiors to emphasize dignity and citizenship (Source 1). The pose should be restrained, avoiding exaggerated gestures, to align with the 'serious' style of portraiture that conveys moral quality (Source 6).

step by step

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

underdrawing

step 01
Sketch the figure using charcoal or thinned paint. Focus on the three-quarter view of the face and the positioning of the eyes and eyebrows to establish the character.
Tip — Ensure the proportions are accurate, as corrections are difficult once oil layers are applied.
Initial Sketch

underpainting

step 02
Apply a monochrome grisaille layer using black, ultramarine, and white. Model the forms and values without using red or yellow pigments.
Tip — Keep this layer 'lean' (low oil content) to ensure it dries hard and fast, preventing cracking in later layers.
Grisaille

first pass

step 03
Once the grisaille is dry, begin glazing with transparent red and yellow tones. Apply these colors thinly over the underpainting to introduce warmth and flesh tones.
Tip — Use a medium with more oil than the underpainting to adhere to the 'fat over lean' rule.
Glazing

refining

step 04
Use scumbling (semi-opaque painting) to adjust highlights and cool tones, particularly in shadows or areas where the underlying grisaille should show through.
Tip — Scumbling over darker grounds tends to create coldness, which can be used for atmospheric depth or shadow refinement.
Scumbling

finishing

step 05
Refine the textures of clothing and jewelry. If depicting velvet or satin, use careful brushwork to render the 'softness' and 'brilliance' characteristic of Borovikovsky’s ceremonial portraits.
Tip — Pay close attention to the sparkle of precious stones if present, using small, precise highlights.
Texture Rendering

varnishing

step 06
Allow the painting to dry completely (up to two weeks or more) before applying a final varnish to unify the sheen and protect the surface.
Tip — Ensure the paint is fully oxidized to prevent trapping solvents.
Varnishing

critical techniques

Fat over Lean

Each subsequent layer of paint must contain more oil than the previous layer to prevent cracking and peeling. This is a basic rule of oil painting application.

Glazing and Scumbling

Glazing involves applying transparent coats of color over a dry underpainting to build depth and luminosity. Scumbling involves applying semi-opaque paint to modify tones while allowing the underlayer to show through. These techniques were widely practiced by old masters and are essential for achieving the subtle tonal variations in Borovikovsky’s style.

Texture Mastery

Borovikovsky is noted for his ability to render the softness of velvet, the brilliance of satin, and the sparkle of gems. This requires precise brush control and an understanding of how light interacts with different materials.

common pitfalls

→Applying lean layers over fat layers, which will cause the paint film to crack and peel (Source 2).
→Over-modeling or becoming too tied to the outline, which can result in a stiff, lifeless portrait. Borovikovsky’s work conveys inner feelings through subtle expression, not rigid detail (Source 1, Source 7).
→Ignoring the importance of the eyes and eyebrows in conveying emotion. In this style, the mouth is often neutral, so the eyes must carry the expressive weight (Source 6).
→Using too much solvent in later layers, which can weaken the paint film. Later layers should be 'fatter' (more oil) to ensure stability (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.

·The specific visual details of Nathalie Petrovna Golitsyn’s attire, jewelry, and background are not described in the provided sources. The guide relies on general characteristics of Borovikovsky’s Rococo chamber portraits.
·The exact year of the painting is not available, making it difficult to pinpoint the precise evolution of his style (e.g., early sentimental vs. later classical restraint).
·Borovikovsky’s specific palette recipes are not detailed; the guide infers them from general 18th/19th-century practices and Reynolds’ cited method.
·The specific pose and composition of this particular portrait are not described, so the guide assumes a standard three-quarter bust or half-length portrait typical of the genre.

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.

cross-referenced from

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

Wikipedia bio — Vladimir Borovikovsky↗
- part 2 — applied to Artist style, texture mastery, left-handedness, and emotional expression.
Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- part 2 — applied to Fat over lean rule, drying times, and initial sketching methods.
Wikipedia: Portrait painting↗
- part 2 — applied to Importance of eyes/eyebrows for expression and the concept of inner essence.