plate no. 7658
Place de la Trinity in Paris
Albert Marquet, 1911
recreation guide
Albert Marquet’s *Place de la Trinité in Paris* (1911) is a cityscape executed in oil on canvas, situated within the Fauvist movement. While Marquet is often associated with a more restrained, lyrical approach compared to the bold chromatic explosions of Matisse, this work retains the Fauvist emphasis on expressive color and simplified forms. The painting depicts an urban landscape, a genre defined by the depiction of cities and paved areas (Source 3). The composition likely avoids exact bisections and utilizes a center of interest to guide the viewer’s eye through the architectural elements without letting the image become a mere pattern (Source 7). The work reflects the artist’s practice of using oil paint not merely to deceive the eye with illusionistic realism, but to express feeling through painted symbols that remain true to the medium’s vitality (Source 4).
estimated time
20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions
materials
4 items
steps
4 in sequence
materials
| item | purpose | modern equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Oil paints (Ultramarine, White, Black, Yellow Ochre, Red Ochre, Vermilion/Cinnabar) | Primary pigments for underpainting and glazing. Ultramarine, white, and black are specifically noted for initial oil layers (Source 1). Earths and ochres are recommended for fixed, covering tones (Source 8). | Standard tube oils: Ultramarine Blue, Titanium White, Ivory Black, Yellow Ochre, Red Ochre, Cadmium Red or Vermilion. |
| Oil of Copavia (or modern stand oil/linseed oil) | Medium for the first and second paintings to ensure proper flow and drying characteristics (Source 1). | Stand oil or refined linseed oil. |
| Varnish | Mixed with oil for later glazing stages to gain mastery over transparent coats (Source 1). | Dammar varnish or synthetic resin varnish. |
| Canvas | Support for the oil painting. | Linen or cotton canvas, primed. |
preparation
surface prep
The canvas should be prepared with a ground suitable for oil painting. While specific priming details for this exact canvas are not in the sources, the technique described involves working on a surface that can support a grisaille underpainting. The artist likely employed a neutral or toned ground to facilitate the subsequent glazing process.
underdrawing
Marquet’s preparatory methods are not explicitly detailed in the provided sources. However, consistent with the practice of using oil for initial layers, the underdrawing may have been executed directly in thin oil or charcoal, focusing on the essential lines and shapes of the cityscape rather than intricate detail, allowing the medium’s vitality to guide the expression (Source 4).
underpainting
The process likely begins with a monochrome underpainting, or grisaille. The artist mentally extracts red and yellow colors, translating what would remain in nature if these colors were absent. This initial layer is painted with oil of copavia using black, ultramarine, and white to establish values and forms (Source 1). This step is crucial for establishing the structural integrity of the cityscape before introducing color.
color palette
Ultramarine
Pure Ultramarine Blue
Initial underpainting layers alongside black and white (Source 1). Likely used for sky and shadow tones in the final glaze.
White
White Lead or Titanium White
Initial underpainting layers (Source 1). Used for highlights and mixing with glazes.
Black
Ivory Black or Lamp Black
Initial underpainting layers (Source 1). Used for deep shadows and defining architectural lines.
Yellow Ochre
Natural Ochre
General use in the palette. Earths and ochres are recommended for broken tones and their fixedness (Source 8). Likely used for building facades and ground.
Red Ochre/Vermilion
Red Ochre or Cinnabar
General use in the palette. Red tones are introduced via glazing and scumbling after the grisaille is dry (Source 1). Likely used for accents in the cityscape.
composition
The composition of this cityscape likely adheres to principles where the horizon line does not divide the artwork into two equal parts, instead emphasizing either the sky or the ground to create balance (Source 7). The arrangement of buildings and streets forms a coherent composition where elements relate to each other and the whole (Source 5). Marquet characteristically avoids exact bisections and ensures the prominent subject is off-center, balanced by smaller satellite elements to prevent the image from becoming a static pattern (Source 7). The direction of the viewer’s eye is guided through the urban landscape, leading around all elements before exiting the picture (Source 7).
step by step
underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing
underpainting
step 01
Create a grisaille underpainting using black, ultramarine, and white mixed with oil of copavia. Mentally extract red and yellow colors, painting only what would remain in nature without them.
Tip — Focus on value structure and form rather than color. Ensure this layer is completely dry before proceeding.
Monochrome Underpainting
first pass
step 02
Once the grisaille is dry, begin glazing and scumbling with oil. Apply yellow and red tones as they occur in the scene, similar to tinting an engraving with watercolors.
Tip — Glazing involves transparent coats of color, while scumbling is semi-opaque, allowing the underlying painting to show through. Use oil of copavia as the medium.
Glazing and Scumbling
refining
step 03
As mastery is gained, mix varnish with oil for subsequent glazing layers. This allows for deeper, richer color effects and greater control over transparency.
Tip — Be cautious of the coldness that can result from scumbling over a darker ground; adjust tones to maintain harmony.
Varnish Glazing
finishing
step 04
Refine the composition by ensuring the center of interest is clear and that the viewer’s eye is led through the cityscape. Avoid exact bisections and ensure the horizon line emphasizes either the sky or ground appropriately.
Tip — Check that no spaces between objects are identical to create visual interest. Ensure the painting remains a painted symbol rather than a deceptive illusion.
Compositional Balance
critical techniques
Glazing
A transparent coat of color applied over a dry underpainting. Used to introduce red and yellow tones without obscuring the underlying structure. Essential for achieving the luminous quality characteristic of this method.
Scumbling
A semi-opaque painting technique where the underlying layer shows through. Used to create texture and subtle color variations, particularly when employed over darker grounds to achieve a grey bloom or coldness.
Monochrome Underpainting
Establishing the painting’s values and forms using only black, ultramarine, and white. This separates the structural work from the color work, allowing for greater control and luminosity in the final piece.
common pitfalls
- →Attempting to paint color directly without a proper underpainting, which can lead to muddy tones and loss of structural clarity.
- →Using too much opacity in early layers, preventing the glazing technique from achieving its intended luminous effect.
- →Ignoring the drying time of the grisaille layer, which can cause cracking or mixing of layers if not fully dry.
- →Creating a composition with exact bisections or a centered subject, which can make the image appear static and pattern-like rather than dynamic (Source 7).
- →Focusing too much on illusionistic realism, thereby losing the expressive quality of the medium and the artist’s emotional intent (Source 4).
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 details of Marquet’s brushwork style (e.g., stroke direction, thickness) are not covered in the sources.
- ·The exact color palette used for *Place de la Trinité* is not specified; the guide relies on general Fauvist and historical oil painting practices.
- ·Preparatory sketches or underdrawing methods specific to Marquet are not detailed in the provided sources.
- ·The specific atmospheric conditions or time of day depicted in the painting are not described, which would influence the color temperature choices.
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, scumbling, and medium usage.
The Practice and Science of Drawing↗
- XX MATERIALS — applied to Philosophy of using oil paint as an expressive medium rather than for illusionistic deception.
The Science of Painting↗
- CHAPTER V. COLOURING SUBSTANCES — applied to Selection of pigments, particularly earths and ochres.
cross-referenced from
Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.
Wikipedia: Landscape painting↗
- Landscape painting — part 13 — applied to Genre classification as cityscape.
Wikipedia: Composition (visual arts)↗
- Composition (visual arts) — part 6 — applied to Compositional principles such as horizon line placement and center of interest.
Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.
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