plate no. 5912

Portrait of Cardinal Dovizzi de Bibbiena

oil, canvasHigh Renaissanceportraitportraitfigurecardinalclothinghandsface

recreation guide

This recreation guide addresses the painting of Raphael’s *Portrait of Cardinal Dovizzi de Bibbiena* (1516), a work from the High Renaissance period. Raphael is characterized by his clarity of form, ease of composition, and the visual achievement of the Neoplatonic ideal of human grandeur (Source 5). The artwork represents the artist’s mature Roman phase, where he worked for Pope Leo X and his close associates, including Cardinal Bibbiena (Source 8). While specific visual details of the Cardinal’s attire or expression are not described in the provided sources, the general practice of Raphael during this period involved a large workshop and a style that absorbed influences from contemporaries like Michelangelo while maintaining a cohesive, serene harmony (Source 5, Source 8). The recreation should focus on the technical principles of oil painting relevant to this era, such as the use of glazing and scumbling to achieve depth and color harmony, rather than inventing specific visual elements not present in the text.

estimated time

40-60 hours over 8-12 sessions

materials

5 items

steps

6 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints (Ultramarine, White Lead, Black, Earth tones)	Primary pigments for underpainting and glazing	Modern tube oils: Ultramarine Blue, Titanium White (or Flake White for historical accuracy), Ivory Black, Ochres
Canvas	Support for the oil painting	Linen canvas, primed with gesso
Oil of Copavia (or Linseed Oil)	Medium for mixing paints, as noted in Reynolds' method which reflects old master practices	Stand oil or refined linseed oil
Varnish	For mixing with oil in later glazing stages to gain mastery and depth	Dammar varnish or synthetic resin varnish
Charcoal or Silverpoint	For underdrawing, consistent with Raphael’s detailed drawings	Vine charcoal or graphite

preparation

surface prep

Prepare a linen canvas with a white gesso ground. Raphael’s work in Rome was executed on canvas or panel, and the High Renaissance standard involved a smooth, white ground to allow for the luminosity of glazes. The sources note that Raphael ran a large workshop and produced works of high quality, implying a professional preparation of surfaces (Source 5).

underdrawing

Execute a detailed underdrawing. Raphael was known for his detailed drawings, which served as the basis for his paintings, often executed by his workshop from these designs (Source 5). The drawing should establish the clarity of form characteristic of his style (Source 5).

underpainting

Apply a grisaille using black, ultramarine, and white, mixed with oil of copavia, as described in Reynolds’ method which reflects the practices of old masters (Source 4). This establishes the tonal values before color is introduced.

color palette

Ultramarine

Pure ultramarine pigment

Underpainting and glazing for cool shadows and depth

White Lead

Pure white lead

Highlights and mixing with ultramarine for underpainting

Black

Ivory black or lamp black

Underpainting shadows and defining forms

Red and Yellow Earths

Red ochre, yellow ochre, vermilion

Glazing over the grisaille to introduce flesh tones and warm colors

Lakes (Red/Purple)

Carmine or madder lake

Glazing for rich reds in drapery, if applicable

composition

The composition should reflect Raphael’s clarity of form and ease of composition (Source 5). While specific details of the Cardinal’s pose are not in the sources, the general approach should aim for the Neoplatonic ideal of human grandeur and serene harmony (Source 5). The arrangement of elements should avoid smallness and focus on broad masses, as advised for copying works to correct weaknesses (Source 1).

step by step

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

underdrawing

step 01
Draw the composition on the prepared canvas using charcoal or silverpoint. Focus on the clarity of form and the structural accuracy of the figure.
Tip — Ensure the drawing is detailed, as Raphael’s workshop relied on precise drawings (Source 5).
Underdrawing

underpainting

step 02
Mix black, ultramarine, and white with oil of copavia. Paint the entire composition in monochrome (grisaille), establishing the light and shadow structure.
Tip — Mentally extract red and yellow colors, focusing on the tonal values as if these colors were not present (Source 4).
Grisaille

first pass

step 03
Allow the grisaille to dry completely. Begin glazing with transparent coats of red and yellow tones, applied with oil.
Tip — Apply glazes thinly and transparently, similar to tinting an engraving with watercolors (Source 4).
Glazing

refining

step 04
Use scumbling (semi-opaque painting) to adjust tones and create coldness or grey blooms where needed, especially over darker grounds.
Tip — Be aware that scumbling over darker grounds tends to coldness (Source 4).
Scumbling

finishing

step 05
Refine the color harmony by considering the simultaneous contrast of colors. Adjust tones to ensure that the lightest tones are not lowered and darkest tones are not heightened incorrectly due to adjacent colors.
Tip — Perceive the modifications of light on the model and harmonize colors inherent to the objects (Source 2).
Simultaneous Contrast

varnishing

step 06
Apply a final varnish to protect the painting and enhance the depth of the glazes.
Tip — Ensure the painting is completely dry before varnishing.
Varnishing

critical techniques

Glazing and Scumbling

Used to build up color and depth over a monochrome underpainting. Glazing involves transparent coats of color, while scumbling involves semi-opaque layers. This method was practiced by old masters and is essential for achieving the luminosity and depth characteristic of Raphael’s work.

Simultaneous Contrast

Understanding how adjacent colors affect each other’s appearance. This helps in harmonizing the composition and accurately perceiving the modifications of light and color on the model.

Chiaroscuro

Creating depth through the gradation of light and shadow. The juxtaposition of tones produces a true gradation of light, which is essential for the three-dimensional effect in the portrait.

common pitfalls

→Over-modeling or being too tied down to the outline, which can lead to smallness and lack of broad mass (Source 1).
→Ignoring the effects of simultaneous contrast, leading to inaccurate color perception and disharmony in the composition (Source 2).
→Applying glazes before the underpainting is completely dry, which can cause muddiness and cracking (Source 4).
→Attempting to deceive the eye with mere naturalism rather than expressing the vitality of the medium and the emotional idea of the work (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 the Cardinal’s attire, jewelry, and facial expression are not described in the sources.
·The exact proportions and pose of the figure are not specified.
·The specific background elements and their colors are not detailed.
·The precise ratio of pigments in Raphael’s palette is not provided, only general old master practices.

grounded in

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

The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- ON COPYING — applied to Advice on avoiding smallness and over-modeling
- COLOURING A MONOCHROME — applied to Technique of glazing and scumbling over grisaille
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 315-318 — applied to Understanding simultaneous contrast and color harmony
- 6 — applied to Principles of chiaroscuro and gradation of light
The Practice and Science of Drawing↗
- XX MATERIALS — applied to Importance of medium and avoiding mere deception

cross-referenced from

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

Wikipedia bio — Raphael↗
- part 1 — applied to General style and workshop practices of Raphael
- part 6 — applied to Context of the painting and Raphael’s relationship with Cardinal Bibbiena

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

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