plate no. 8327

Palermo cathedral, drawing by Leitch, engraving by J.H. Le Keux

oilRomanticismcityscapecathedralarchitecturecityscapefiguresskystreet

what to study here

It shows how an engraver turns a single-light cityscape into a clear value hierarchy using only line density, with one bright focal mass against darker surroundings.

This is an engraving after a drawing, so the lesson is how tone is built from line, not from paint. The vision guide reports a clear value plan: the dome and towers are the brightest mass, set against deep shadow on the left-hand building and dark clothing on foreground figures. Squint and the cathedral reads as a luminous shape above a darker foreground. Most of the sheet sits in mid-tones, so the extremes are reserved for the focal area. Study how crosshatching density controls value: denser lines for shadow, sparse lines letting paper show for the lit dome. Edges are crisp where contrast is strong, such as the cathedral silhouette against sky, and softer where mid-tones meet. Light from the left breaks the cathedral's symmetry. Figures in the foreground are drawn with fewer lines than the architecture but each has its own silhouette. Haze around the mid-ground pushes the cathedral back while the crowd stays sharper and darker. Copy the value map first, in a few grays, before attempting any linework.

key decision

The cathedral is held to the lightest values and sparsest linework, while the left building and foreground figures carry the darkest tones. This makes the dome read as a luminous focal mass.

recreation guide

This artwork, titled 'Palermo cathedral,' is a cityscape created by William Leighton Leitch in 1840. While the provided metadata lists the medium as oil, historical records indicate that Leitch was a master Scottish landscape watercolourist who devoted himself almost entirely to teaching and working in watercolours after returning to London in 1837 (Source 5). The work is described as a drawing by Leitch and an engraving by J.H. Le Keux, suggesting the final image may be a print based on his original study. However, following the instruction to treat this as an oil painting recreation, the process must adapt Leitch’s observational skills to the oil medium. The style is Romanticism, characterized by an emphasis on the emotional impact of the landscape and the grandeur of the architecture. Leitch’s practice involved extensive travel and sketching in Italy and Sicily, where he developed a keen eye for light and atmospheric effects, which would be central to rendering the cathedral’s stone textures and the surrounding environment.

estimated time

20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions

materials

5 items

steps

6 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints (Ultramarine, White, Black, Yellow Ochre, Red Ochre)	Primary pigments for grisaille and glazing	—
Linseed oil or Oil of Copavia	Medium for binding pigments and creating transparent glazes	Stand oil or pure linseed oil
Turpentine	Thinner for initial washes and cleaning brushes	Odorless mineral spirits
Canvas or Wood Panel	Support for the painting	Primed linen canvas
Varnish	Final protective layer and to enhance depth of glazes	Dammar varnish

preparation

surface prep

Prepare a rigid support such as a wood panel or tightly stretched canvas. Apply a white or light grey ground to facilitate the glazing technique, which relies on light reflecting through transparent layers. Leitch’s background in watercolour suggests a preference for smooth surfaces that allow for fine detail, though oil painting allows for more texture. Ensure the surface is sealed to prevent oil from rotting the wood or canvas fibers (Source 2).

underdrawing

Begin with a contour drawing to establish the mass and volume of the cathedral and surrounding structures. Use a thin wash of diluted paint or charcoal to outline the major architectural forms, focusing on the silhouette and perspective rather than minor details. This aligns with the principle that contour drawing emphasizes mass and volume, serving as a strong foundation for the painting (Source 7). Leitch’s training as a scene-painter and illustrator would have required precise linear accuracy before applying tone.

underpainting

Create a monochrome underpainting, known as a grisaille, using only black, ultramarine, and white mixed with oil of copavia or linseed oil. This step involves mentally extracting red and yellow colors to establish the value structure of the scene. The grisaille should capture the light and shadow of the cathedral, providing a tonal foundation for the subsequent color layers (Source 1). This technique is consistent with the methods of old masters and allows for a clear separation of value and color decisions.

color palette

Ultramarine

Pure ultramarine pigment

Shadows and cool tones in the grisaille and glazes

White

Lead white or titanium white

Highlights and mixing with ultramarine for mid-tones in the grisaille

Black

Ivory black or lamp black

Deep shadows and defining contours in the grisaille

Yellow Ochre

Natural earth pigment

Glazing to introduce warm tones to the stone and sunlight

Red Ochre

Natural earth pigment

Glazing to add warmth and depth to shadows and architectural details

composition

The composition likely emphasizes the verticality and grandeur of the cathedral, a common trait in Romantic cityscapes. Leitch’s experience as a scene-painter suggests a careful arrangement of architectural elements to create depth and perspective. The use of line and shape to guide the viewer’s eye through the scene is crucial, with the cathedral serving as the central focal point. The surrounding space should be treated to enhance the sense of atmosphere and distance, consistent with the principles of visual composition (Source 3).

step by step

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

underdrawing

step 01
Sketch the outline of the cathedral and surrounding buildings using a thin wash of diluted paint or charcoal. Focus on the major forms and perspective lines.
Tip — Ensure the proportions are accurate, as corrections are difficult once paint is applied.
Contour drawing

underpainting

step 02
Mix black, ultramarine, and white with oil of copavia to create a grisaille. Paint the entire scene in monochrome, establishing the light and shadow structure.
Tip — Work wet-into-wet to blend tones smoothly. Allow the underpainting to dry completely before proceeding.
Grisaille

first pass

step 03
Apply transparent glazes of yellow and red tones over the dry grisaille. Use oil as a medium to create a transparent coat of color, similar to tinting an engraving with watercolors.
Tip — Apply thin layers to allow the underlying grisaille to show through, enhancing the depth and richness of the color.
Glazing

refining

step 04
Use scumbling to add semi-opaque highlights and cool tones, particularly in areas where a grey bloom is desired. This technique involves painting through the underlying layers to modify the tone.
Tip — Be cautious not to muddy the colors. Scumbling is effective for creating atmospheric effects and softening edges.
Scumbling

finishing

step 05
Add final details and adjustments to the architectural features and atmospheric effects. Ensure the contrast between light and dark areas is balanced to enhance the illusion of depth.
Tip — Use the law of simultaneous contrast to adjust tones, ensuring that adjacent colors enhance each other’s intensity.
Chiaroscuro

varnishing

step 06
Apply a final coat of varnish to protect the painting and unify the surface. This step enhances the depth of the glazes and provides a consistent sheen.
Tip — Allow the painting to dry completely for several months before varnishing to prevent cracking.
Varnishing

critical techniques

Glazing

Applying transparent layers of color over a dry underpainting to achieve rich, luminous effects. This technique is central to the old masters’ method and allows for the separation of value and color.

Scumbling

Using semi-opaque paint to modify the underlying tones, particularly for creating cool highlights and atmospheric effects. This technique adds texture and depth to the painting.

Grisaille

Creating a monochrome underpainting to establish the value structure of the scene. This step is crucial for ensuring that the final color layers are applied with a clear understanding of light and shadow.

common pitfalls

→Applying color before the grisaille is completely dry, which can lead to muddying and loss of detail.
→Using too much medium in the glazes, resulting in a weak, translucent layer that does not adhere properly.
→Overworking the scumbling layers, which can destroy the delicate balance of the underlying tones.
→Ignoring the law of simultaneous contrast, leading to flat or dull color interactions.

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 pigments used by Leitch in his oil paintings are not detailed in the sources, as he is primarily known for watercolour.
·The exact composition of the 'Palermo cathedral' drawing is not described in the sources, so the recreation relies on general principles of Romantic cityscapes.
·The role of J.H. Le Keux’s engraving in the final appearance of the artwork is not addressed, as the focus is on the oil painting recreation.

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 Underpainting, glazing, and scumbling techniques
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 6. Put beside each other two flat tints — applied to Color theory and contrast adjustments

cross-referenced from

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

Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- Oil painting — part 1 — applied to Materials and general oil painting properties
Wikipedia: Composition (visual arts)↗
- Composition (visual arts) — part 1 — applied to Compositional principles and visual elements
Wikipedia bio — William Leighton Leitch↗
- William Leighton Leitch — part 1 — applied to Artist’s background and practice
Wikipedia: Contour drawing↗
- Contour drawing — part 1 — applied to Underdrawing technique

Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.

read from the painting

observed from the image, not the label

6 dominant colors, measured

what the eye sees

Light enters from the left, illuminating the cathedral's dome and towers while casting deep shadows on the left foreground buildings. Your eye is drawn immediately to the cathedral in the center-back—it commands attention through its elevated position, intricate silhouette of spires and the massive dome, and its brightest passages. The composition creates theatrical depth: a crowded piazza of individual figures in the foreground gives way to the monumental architecture and an overcast sky that softens into lighter tones toward the horizon. The atmospheric haze, especially visible in the mid-ground around the cathedral, reinforces the distance.

value structure

The darkest passages are the deep shadow planes on the left building and the silhouetted clothing of foreground figures; the brightest are the illuminated dome, towers, and white garments catching light. The majority of the work sits in rich mid-tones—the architectural surfaces, paved square, and crowd. When squinting, the cathedral becomes a luminous mass floating above a darker foreground. The value separation between shadow and light is bold and decisive; this is not a subtle painting but one with clear tonal intention.

observed palette and mixes

#333333
Deep black—India ink or dense graphite; used for the darkest cast shadows and the deepest folds of cloth
Shadow side of left building, shadows beneath architectural overhangs, darkest clothing on figures
#6d6d6d
Dark gray—heavy graphite or ink wash with white paper showing through crosshatching
Mid-shadow areas on architecture, darker portions of the square, shaded architectural recesses
#8c8c8c
Medium gray—balanced engraving tone with even crosshatching
Base tone of most architectural surfaces, middle-value clothing, the ground plane
#b7b7b7
Light-medium gray—sparse crosshatching allowing paper to dominate
Lit side of the dome and towers, highlights on architectural details, light clothing
#e4e4e4
Very light gray—minimal line work or light wash
Sky in mid-distance, brightest portions of the dome's side-lit surfaces
#f3f3f3
Nearly white—untouched or minimal mark-making
The lightest sky areas, brightest highlights on the dome and balustrades

edges and brushwork

This engraving relies entirely on line quality rather than brushwork—edges shift from crisp where value contrast is strong (cathedral silhouette against sky) to softer where mid-tones meet (sky transitions, shadowed architectural planes). The crosshatching system creates tone through parallel and perpendicular lines; denser lines produce darker values, sparser work yields lighter. Architectural surfaces show careful, measured linework that respects the precision of drawn columns, windows, and balustrades, while figures are suggested with fewer lines but greater character.

a working sequence

01
Establish the cathedral profile and horizon
Lightly draw the cathedral's silhouette and the major architectural divisions—the dome's apex, the two main towers, the connecting balustrade line, and the lower arcaded base. Establish the horizon line and the foreground square's ground plane receding toward the cathedral. This linear armature holds everything else.
02
Map the perspective and figure placement
Using light guidelines, establish the converging lines of the pavement and the relative scale of figures from foreground to background. Place the major figure groupings—the crowd center-right, individual figures on the left, clusters near the cathedral base. These proportional relationships are critical; the figures must appear convincingly scaled to recede into space.
03
Block in the major value masses
Use medium gray to establish the broad shadow planes: the left building's shadow face, the shadowed portions of the cathedral's base, and the darker clothing of the crowd. Establish the sky with a lighter gray that gradually darkens toward the top. This creates the foundational tonal structure.
04
Render the cathedral's lit surfaces and architectural details
With fine lines and careful crosshatching, render the dome's curved surface showing its convex form through directional hatching. Define the tower's ornamental details—capitals, arches, windows—using the light source from the left. The side-lit portions should be visibly lighter than shadows; use restraint with your marks in these bright areas.
05
Develop the crowd with individuality and varied poses
Move through the foreground figures, giving each a distinct silhouette and pose rather than repeating shapes. Vary their value—some in light robes, others in dark clothing. Place hats, raised arms, seated figures, and small children to create rhythm and visual interest. Let figures overlap naturally to enhance depth.
06
Create atmospheric depth in the sky and mid-ground
Darken the sky progressively toward the top using horizontal hatching that softens as it rises. Where the cathedral meets the sky, leave a slight halo effect (lighter sky behind the silhouette) to push it forward. Add subtle gray hatching in the mid-ground around the cathedral to suggest haze and distance.
07
Add crosshatching to deepen values and define form
Layer crosshatching over your base values, working darker into the shadows beneath architectural elements, in folds of large garments, and around the left building. Use directional hatching to follow the cathedral's curved surfaces. The engraving effect comes from methodical line layering—patience here pays dividends.
08
Refine architectural ornament and strengthen contrasts
Return to the cathedral's details: define the balustrade's repeating balusters, render the windows' geometric division, suggest the decorative cornices and moldings. Darken shadow areas selectively to increase visual punch. The contrast between the bright dome and deep shadows should feel theatrical.
09
Final details and atmospheric effects
Add small accents—faces and hands on figures rendered with minimal lines, tiny decorative elements on the architecture, texture on the paved ground. Ensure the foreground is slightly darker and sharper than the background to reinforce recession. A final pass checking value hierarchy ensures the cathedral remains the primary focal point.

where studies of this painting go wrong

The cathedral's symmetry tempts students to make it feel static and flat; this painting's power comes from directional light breaking that symmetry with a clear shadow plane on the left. Observe the asymmetrical shading carefully.
The crowd can become a smudgy, undifferentiated mass if figures overlap without care. Each person needs a distinct silhouette and pose, even if small—this is what makes the scene feel alive and populated rather than generic.
Perspective lines in the ground plane and architectural elements often go awry. Check your convergence points repeatedly and use light guidelines; a skewed perspective will undermine the entire composition.
Crosshatching can look crude and mechanical if rushed. Fine engraving work requires patience—build tone gradually through layered, even lines. Trying to achieve darkness in one pass produces an unrefined appearance.

measured difficulty