plate no. 9408

Portrait of a Man in a Black Wig

oilBaroqueportraitportraitmanwigclothingdraperyfigure

recreation guide

Nicolaes Maes’s 'Portrait of a Man in a Black Wig' (1680) represents the artist’s mature period, characterized by a shift toward the lighter, more elegant style influenced by Flemish and French portraiture, particularly that of van Dyck (Source 2). Unlike his earlier austere works, Maes’s later portraits from the 1670s and 1680s emphasize gestures, poses, and the detailed rendering of clothes and hairstyles, often placing sitters in light-toned settings or against sunset skies (Source 2). The work is a standard half-length or three-quarter-length portrait, likely executed on a rectangular canvas, adhering to the standardized formats Maes employed for hundreds of portraits during this era (Source 2). The painting serves as a memorial record, a primary function of portrait painting, aiming for a recognizable likeness of the sitter (Source 3).

estimated time

20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions

materials

4 items

steps

5 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints (Ultramarine, White, Black, Red Ochre/Yellow Ochre)	Primary pigments for the grisaille underpainting and subsequent glazing	Modern tube oils: Ultramarine Blue, Titanium White, Ivory Black, Red Ochre, Yellow Ochre
Oil of Copavia (or modern linseed/walnut oil)	Medium for the first and second paintings, as recommended by Reynolds for this style	Stand oil or refined linseed oil
Varnish	Mixed with oil for later glazing stages to gain mastery over transparent coats	Dammar varnish or synthetic resin varnish
Canvas	Support for the oil painting, likely small rectangular for half-length or larger for three-quarter length	Linen or cotton canvas, primed

preparation

surface prep

The surface should be prepared as a standard oil painting ground. While specific priming details for this exact canvas are not in the sources, Maes’s practice involved standardized formats on canvas (Source 2). The ground should be neutral to allow for the subsequent grisaille technique.

underdrawing

Sources do not explicitly describe Maes’s underdrawing method for this specific work. However, general practice for this period and the emphasis on 'broad masses' suggests a loose initial sketch to establish the pose and gesture, which Maes emphasized in his later works (Source 2).

underpainting

The underpainting should be a monochrome grisaille. The artist must mentally extract red and yellow colors, painting only what would remain if those colors were absent (Source 1). This monochrome layer establishes the tonal values and forms before color is introduced.

color palette

Black

Ivory Black or Lamp Black

Part of the initial grisaille underpainting (Source 1)

Ultramarine

Ultramarine Blue

Part of the initial grisaille underpainting to establish cool shadows and tones (Source 1)

White

Lead White (historically) or Titanium White

Part of the initial grisaille underpainting to establish highlights and mid-tones (Source 1)

Red/Yellow Tones

Red Ochre, Yellow Ochre, Vermilion

Applied later via glazing and scumbling to introduce warmth and flesh tones (Source 1)

composition

Maes’s mature portraits often feature sitters leaning against props such as columns, fountains, or rocks, or placed in elegant gardens with light tones (Source 2). The composition likely emphasizes the sitter’s gesture and pose, consistent with the influence of van Dyck and the lighter spirit of the 1670s-1680s (Source 2). The background may be a dark tone or a light sunset sky, depending on the specific format chosen (Source 2).

step by step

underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing

underdrawing

step 01
Sketch the composition lightly, focusing on the gesture and pose of the sitter, consistent with Maes’s emphasis on these elements in his later work.
Tip — Ensure the pose reflects the elegance and staging typical of Flemish-influenced Dutch portraiture.
Gesture drawing

underpainting

step 02
Create a grisaille underpainting using only black, ultramarine, and white mixed with oil of copavia. Mentally exclude red and yellow colors to establish the tonal structure.
Tip — This layer must be completely dry before proceeding. It serves as the structural foundation.
Grisaille

first pass

step 03
Begin glazing and scumbling with oil. Apply transparent coats of red and yellow tones over the dry grisaille, similar to tinting an engraving with watercolors.
Tip — Glazing involves transparent color layers that allow the underlying monochrome to show through, creating depth.
Glazing

refining

step 04
Use scumbling (semi-opaque painting) to adjust tones, particularly over darker grounds to achieve a grey bloom or coldness if needed. Mix varnish and oil for greater mastery over the transparent effects.
Tip — Scumbling allows the underlying painting to make itself felt, adding texture and complexity.
Scumbling

finishing

step 05
Refine the likeness and details of the wig and clothing, ensuring the colors harmonize with the inherent nature of the objects. Pay attention to simultaneous contrast effects between adjacent colors.
Tip — Be aware that juxtaposed colors affect each other’s perceived tone; the lightest tone may be lowered and the darkest heightened.
Color Harmony

critical techniques

Grisaille Underpainting

A monochrome layer using black, ultramarine, and white to establish form and value before color is added. This was a common practice among old masters, including those cited by Reynolds.

Glazing and Scumbling

Glazing applies transparent color over the dry underpainting, while scumbling applies semi-opaque layers. This method allows for rich, luminous colors and complex tonal interactions, characteristic of Baroque oil painting.

Simultaneous Contrast

Understanding that adjacent colors influence each other’s appearance. The artist must account for this to harmonize the composition and accurately represent the sitter’s features against the background.

common pitfalls

→Adding red and yellow tones too early, before the grisaille is dry, which can muddy the tonal structure.
→Ignoring the effects of simultaneous contrast, leading to colors that appear inaccurate or disharmonious when placed next to each other.
→Over-modeling or becoming too tied to the outline, which can result in a small, timid appearance rather than the broad, elegant masses characteristic of Maes’s mature style.

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 the sitter’s facial features and expression are not described in the sources, so the artist must rely on general portrait conventions or reference images.
·The exact background setting (garden, terrace, or dark) is not specified for this particular painting, though Maes used both in this period.
·The specific pigments used for the black wig and clothing are not detailed, though ultramarine and black were used in the underpainting.

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 and glazing techniques
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- Simultaneous Contrast — applied to Color harmony and tonal adjustments

cross-referenced from

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