plate no. 6616

Old Tbilisi

Martiros Sarian, 1917

oil, canvasExpressionismcityscapebuildingsfiguresanimalsstreetcityscapemountain

recreation guide

Martiros Sarian’s 'Old Tbilisi' (1917) is a cityscape that reflects his role as a founder of the modern Armenian national school of painting, characterized by vibrant colorism and expressive forms (Source 3). The work likely employs the principles of simultaneous contrast, where juxtaposed colors intensify each other’s appearance, a technique Sarian would have utilized to capture the luminous quality of the Caucasus landscape (Source 1, Source 3). As an expressionist cityscape, the painting prioritizes emotional impact and color intensity over strict topographical accuracy, aligning with the tradition of using landscape to convey spiritual or atmospheric elements rather than mere documentation (Source 6).

estimated time

20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions

materials

5 items

steps

6 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints (high chroma)	To achieve the intense, expressive color contrasts characteristic of Sarian's style.	—
Canvas	Support for the oil medium.	Linen or cotton canvas, primed with gesso.
Linseed oil or Copal varnish	Medium for glazing and scumbling to build luminosity.	Stand oil or damar varnish mixed with odorless mineral spirits.
Bristle brushes	For applying opaque layers and scumbling.	Hog bristle filberts and flats.
Soft brushes	For glazing transparent layers.	Sable or synthetic round brushes.

preparation

surface prep

Prepare a white or light-toned ground to allow for the luminous effects described in Sarian’s coloristic approach. While specific preparation for this 1917 work is not detailed in the sources, traditional oil painting practices of the period often involved a neutral or white ground to facilitate glazing techniques (Source 4).

underdrawing

Sarian’s expressive style suggests a loose, gestural underdrawing rather than rigid linear precision. The focus is likely on capturing the overall composition and light relationships early on, consistent with the impressionistic and expressionist tendencies of his period.

underpainting

Consider a grisaille or monochrome underpainting to establish values before applying color. This technique, described as extracting red and yellow to translate what remains in nature, allows for subsequent glazing of intense hues (Source 4). This method supports the 'exaggeration' of natural phenomena required to imitate nature’s luminous intensities (Source 1).

color palette

Vibrant Reds and Oranges

Cadmium Red, Cadmium Orange, Vermilion

General use in Sarian’s palette to capture the warmth of the Caucasus; likely used for rooftops or sunlit walls.

Deep Blues and Ultramarines

Ultramarine Blue, Cobalt Blue

Shadows and sky; used to intensify adjacent warm tones through complementary contrast.

Yellows

Cadmium Yellow, Yellow Ochre

Highlights and sunlit areas; complements purples/blues.

Greens

Viridian, Sap Green

Vegetation; used to intensify adjacent reds.

composition

As a cityscape, the composition likely avoids exact bisection of the picture space, positioning the horizon to emphasize either the sky or the urban density (Source 7). Sarian’s works often feature a center of interest that prevents the image from becoming a mere pattern, guiding the viewer’s eye through the urban landscape (Source 7). The arrangement of buildings and natural elements likely creates a coherent composition where the sky and weather are integral to the mood (Source 6).

step by step

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

underdrawing

step 01
Sketch the basic forms of the cityscape loosely, focusing on the placement of major architectural elements and the horizon line.
Tip — Avoid rigid lines; keep the drawing flexible to allow for expressive color application.
Gestural sketching

underpainting

step 02
Apply a monochrome underpainting (grisaille) to establish light and shadow values, excluding red and yellow tones.
Tip — Ensure the underpainting is dry before proceeding to glazing.
Grisaille

first pass

step 03
Apply broad areas of color, focusing on the dominant hues of the scene. Use complementary colors to intensify each other (e.g., place blue tones next to orange to make the orange appear more vibrant).
Tip — Observe how adjacent colors modify each other’s appearance without mixing them on the palette.
Simultaneous contrast

refining

step 04
Glaze transparent layers of color over the underpainting to build depth and luminosity. Scumble semi-opaque layers to create texture and atmospheric effects.
Tip — Use oil or varnish mixtures for glazing to maintain transparency.
Glazing and scumbling

finishing

step 05
Adjust contrasts and intensities by surrounding colors with their complements to enhance brilliance or with similar hues to soften them.
Tip — If a color appears too pronounced, soften it by surrounding it with more intense tones of the same hue.
Color intensification

varnishing

step 06
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

Simultaneous Contrast

Juxtaposing complementary colors to intensify their appearance, a principle Sarian likely employed to capture the vivid light of the Caucasus.

Glazing and Scumbling

Using transparent and semi-opaque layers to build color depth and texture, a method practiced by old masters and relevant to Sarian’s expressive style.

Exaggeration of Natural Phenomena

Enhancing color intensities beyond natural observation to imitate the luminous effects of nature, as nature possesses intensities not available on the palette.

common pitfalls

→Mixing complementary colors on the palette instead of juxtaposing them on the canvas, which neutralizes their intensity rather than enhancing it (Source 1).
→Applying glazes before the underpainting is dry, leading to muddiness and loss of transparency (Source 4).
→Overworking the painting, losing the expressive quality and luminosity achieved through layered glazing.
→Ignoring the horizon line placement, resulting in a balanced but static composition (Source 7).

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 'Old Tbilisi' (e.g., exact building arrangements, specific color choices for this painting) are not described in the provided sources.
·Sarian’s specific preparatory methods for this 1917 work are not detailed; inferences are based on general oil painting practices and his broader style.
·The exact medium ratios (oil to varnish) used by Sarian are not specified.

grounded in

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

The Science of Painting↗
- 4. When two colours separated by more than two others... — applied to Color intensification and simultaneous contrast techniques.
The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- 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: Martiros Sarian↗
- Biography — applied to Artist’s background, style, and role in Armenian painting.
Wikipedia: Landscape painting↗
- Landscape painting — applied to Cityscape composition and atmospheric elements.
Wikipedia: Composition (visual arts)↗
- Composition — applied to General compositional principles.