plate no. 4200
Not expected
Pyotr Konchalovsky, 1947
recreation guide
Pyotr Konchalovsky’s 1947 oil painting 'Not expected' represents a significant pivot in the artist’s long career, moving from his early avant-garde Fauvist and Cézannesque experiments toward the Socialist Realism mandated by the Soviet state in the late 1940s (Source 6, Source 7). As a genre painting, the work likely depicts ordinary people engaged in common activities, focusing on the 'reality effect' of everyday life rather than specific historical or portrait identities (Source 1, Source 2). While Konchalovsky was a founding member of the Knave of Diamonds group known for bold color and form, his post-war work contributed to 'the development of Soviet realistic art,' requiring a disciplined approach to oil painting that balances naturalistic depiction with the material vitality of the medium (Source 4, Source 6). The recreation must respect the artist’s documented evolution, avoiding the 'meretricious attempt to deceive the eye' in favor of expressing feeling through painted symbols that remain true to the medium’s capacities (Source 3).
estimated time
20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions
materials
6 items
steps
6 in sequence
materials
| item | purpose | modern equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Oil paints (traditional palette) | Primary medium for realistic depiction and glazing | High-quality tube oils (e.g., Winsor & Newton, Gamblin) |
| Linseed oil or oil of copavia | Medium for glazing and binding pigments, as referenced in historical practice | Stand oil or pure linseed oil |
| Canvas or panel | Support for the oil painting | Linen canvas primed with gesso |
| Charcoal or graphite | Underdrawing | Vine charcoal |
| Solvents (turpentine/mineral spirits) | Thinning paint and cleaning brushes | Odorless mineral spirits |
| Brushes (various sizes) | Application of broad masses and fine details | Hog bristle and sable brushes |
preparation
surface prep
Prepare a rigid support (panel or stretched canvas) with a white or light-toned ground. Konchalovsky’s early training at the Imperial Academy and his later adherence to realistic standards suggest a traditional preparation that allows for both opaque modeling and transparent glazing. The surface should be smooth enough to allow for the 'finish' required by realist genre painting, but textured enough to hold the 'vitality' of the oil medium (Source 3, Source 4).
underdrawing
Begin with a loose underdrawing using charcoal or thinned oil. Konchalovsky’s background in the avant-garde suggests a comfort with bold structural lines, but his 1947 realism requires accurate proportion and gesture. Do not overwork the drawing; it should serve as a guide for the 'broad masses' of color and form (Source 5).
underpainting
Apply a monochromatic underpainting (grisaille) to establish values and composition. This technique, while sometimes prejudiced against by modern painters, was practiced by old masters and allows for the mental extraction of color to focus on form (Source 8). This step is crucial for achieving the 'reality effect' without getting lost in local color too early (Source 2).
color palette
Earth tones (Umbers, Ochres)
Burnt Umber, Yellow Ochre, Raw Sienna
General use in this artist's palette for realistic skin tones and backgrounds
Reds (Vermilion, Cadmium)
Vermilion, Cadmium Red
Accents in clothing or objects, consistent with genre painting's focus on everyday details
Blues (Ultramarine, Cobalt)
Ultramarine, Cobalt Blue
Shadows and atmospheric depth, as suggested by Reynolds' method in Source 8
Whites (Titanium, Zinc)
Titanium White, Zinc White
Highlights and mixing tints
Blacks (Ivory, Mars)
Ivory Black, Mars Black
Deep shadows and contrast
composition
The composition likely features figures to whom no specific identity can be attached, typical of genre painting (Source 1). The arrangement should avoid the 'disorderly' chaos of some Dutch genre scenes unless intended for moral commentary, instead aiming for a balanced, realistic snapshot of quotidian life (Source 2). Konchalovsky’s Cézannesque influence may manifest in the structural solidity of the figures, even within a realist framework (Source 6).
step by step
underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing→varnishing
underdrawing
step 01
Sketch the basic forms and gestures of the figures using charcoal or thinned oil. Focus on the 'broad masses' rather than fine details.
Tip — Ensure proportions are accurate to support the realist genre style.
Direct drawing
underpainting
step 02
Apply a grisaille layer to establish light and shadow. This prepares the surface for glazing and scumbling.
Tip — Let this layer dry completely before proceeding.
Grisaille
first pass
step 03
Block in local colors using opaque paint. Focus on the main shapes and color relationships.
Tip — Avoid over-modeling at this stage; keep it broad.
Alla prima blocking
refining
step 04
Glaze transparent colors over the dried underpainting to enrich tones and create depth. Scumble semi-opaque paint over darker areas to create coldness or bloom.
Tip — Use oil of copavia or linseed oil as a medium for glazing, as suggested by historical practice.
Glazing and Scumbling
finishing
step 05
Add final details and highlights. Ensure the painting retains the 'vitality' of the medium and does not become a mere photographic copy.
Tip — Remember that art is an expression of feeling, not just a deception of the eye.
Final detailing
varnishing
step 06
Apply a final varnish to protect the painting and unify the surface.
Tip — Wait several months for the oil to cure before varnishing.
Varnishing
critical techniques
Glazing
Applying transparent coats of color to build depth and richness, a method used by old masters and referenced in Reynolds' practice.
Scumbling
Using semi-opaque paint over darker grounds to create coldness or atmospheric effects, enhancing the 'reality effect' of the genre scene.
Realist Depiction
Focusing on ordinary people and everyday activities, avoiding specific identities to maintain the genre painting tradition.
common pitfalls
- →Over-modeling details too early, which can lead to a 'smallness' and loss of broad mass integrity (Source 5).
- →Attempting to create a photographic illusion rather than an expression of feeling through the medium, which is considered 'meretricious' (Source 3).
- →Ignoring the drying time of the underpainting, which can ruin the glazing process (Source 8).
- →Failing to distinguish between portrait and genre painting by attaching specific identities to the figures (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 visual details of 'Not expected' (e.g., exact clothing, room layout, facial expressions) are not described in the sources, so the recreation must rely on general genre painting conventions and Konchalovsky's stylistic evolution.
- ·The exact pigment palette used by Konchalovsky in 1947 is not specified, so a traditional realist palette is inferred.
- ·The specific compositional arrangement of the figures is unknown, so general genre painting principles are applied.
grounded in
The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.
The Practice and Science of Drawing↗
- XX MATERIALS — applied to Philosophy of oil painting and avoiding mere illusion
The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- ON COPYING — applied to Techniques for handling broad masses and avoiding over-modeling
- COLOURING A MONOCHROME — applied to Glazing and scumbling techniques
cross-referenced from
Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.
Wikipedia: Genre painting↗
- Genre painting — part 1 — applied to Definition of genre painting and avoidance of specific identities
Wikipedia: Dutch Golden Age painting↗
- Dutch Golden Age painting — part 11 — applied to Understanding the 'reality effect' and sub-types of genre scenes
Wikipedia bio — Pyotr Konchalovsky↗
- Pyotr Konchalovsky — part 1 & 2 — applied to Artist's background, evolution from avant-garde to realism, and Cézannesque influence
Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.
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