plate no. 5885
Portrait of E. N. Arsenyeva
Vladimir Borovikovsky, 1796
recreation guide
Vladimir Borovikovsky’s *Portrait of E. N. Arsenyeva* (1796) is a quintessential example of late 18th-century Russian portraiture, blending Classicist structure with Sentimental intimacy. As a leading portraitist of his era, Borovikovsky was renowned for his ability to convey the inner world of his subjects through subtle emotional expression and refined texture, particularly in the rendering of fabrics and accessories (Source 8). While specific visual details of this particular canvas are not described in the provided texts, the artist’s general practice involved a mastery of texture—such as the softness of velvet and brilliance of satin—and a focus on the dignity and nobility of the portrayed individual (Source 8). The work likely employs the oil painting techniques common to the 'old masters' of the period, including the use of monochrome underpainting and glazing to achieve depth and luminosity.
estimated time
40-60 hours over 8-12 sessions
materials
4 items
steps
6 in sequence
materials
| item | purpose | modern equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Oil paints (Ultramarine, White Lead, Black, Red Ochre, Yellow Ochre) | Primary pigments for underpainting and glazing, consistent with historical palettes described by Reynolds and Pliny. | High-quality artist-grade oils; Ultramarine Blue, Titanium White (or Flake White for historical accuracy), Ivory Black, Natural Red Ochre, Yellow Ochre. |
| Oil of Copavia (or Linseed Oil) | Medium for the first and second paintings, as cited by Sir Joshua Reynolds for establishing the method of painting. | 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. | Linen canvas, primed with gesso. |
preparation
surface prep
Prepare a linen canvas with a traditional gesso ground. While specific preparation for Borovikovsky is not detailed, the period convention for oil painting involved a stable, slightly absorbent ground to allow for the layering techniques described in the sources. The surface should be smooth to facilitate the fine finish characteristic of court portraiture.
underdrawing
The sources do not specify Borovikovsky’s underdrawing method. However, given the precision required for facial features and textures in his portraits, a light charcoal or thinned oil sketch is likely. Avoid heavy, dark lines that might show through subsequent glazes.
underpainting
Employ a grisaille (monochrome underpainting) using black, ultramarine, and white mixed with oil of copavia, as described by Sir Joshua Reynolds (Source 1). This stage establishes the tonal values and forms without color, allowing the artist to mentally extract red and yellow tones to be added later via glazing (Source 1). This method was widely practiced by old masters and is essential for achieving the depth found in Borovikovsky’s work.
color palette
Ultramarine
Pure Ultramarine
Underpainting and cool shadows, as part of Reynolds’ established method (Source 1).
White Lead
Pure White Lead
Highlights and mixing in the grisaille underpainting (Source 1, Source 6).
Black
Ivory Black or Lamp Black
Shadows and underpainting (Source 1, Source 6).
Red Ochre / Red Lac
Natural Red Ochre or Red Lake
Glazing flesh tones and warm accents, applied over the dry grisaille (Source 1, Source 6).
Yellow Ochre
Natural Yellow Ochre
Glazing warm tones and flesh, as part of the extracted colors in the glazing stage (Source 1, Source 6).
composition
Borovikovsky’s portraits are characterized by a focus on the sitter’s inner world and dignity, often set against restrained backgrounds or interiors (Source 8). While the specific composition of *Portrait of E. N. Arsenyeva* is not detailed in the sources, the artist’s general practice involves a careful balance of light and shadow to enhance the subject’s nobility. The composition likely emphasizes the face and upper body, with attention to the texture of clothing and accessories to convey status and character (Source 8).
step by step
underpainting→drying→refining→finishing→glazing→scumbling
underpainting
step 01
Mix black, ultramarine, and white with oil of copavia to create a grisaille underpainting. Establish the full tonal range of the portrait, from deepest shadows to brightest highlights, without using red or yellow pigments.
Tip — Mentally extract red and yellow colors, visualizing what would remain in nature if these colors were absent (Source 1).
Grisaille Underpainting
drying
step 02
Allow the grisaille to dry completely. This is crucial before applying glazes to prevent muddying the underlying tones.
Tip — Ensure the surface is fully dry to avoid chemical reactions or lifting of the underpainting.
Drying
refining
step 05
Refine details, particularly textures of clothing and accessories, using the artist’s mastery of brushwork. Pay attention to the simultaneous contrast of colors, ensuring that adjacent tones enhance each other’s intensity.
Tip — Be aware of simultaneous contrast: adjacent colors will appear modified by their complements. Adjust tones to maintain harmony and accuracy (Source 2, Source 3).
Detailing and Contrast
finishing
step 06
Final adjustments to balance the composition and ensure the emotional expression aligns with the sitter’s character. Varnish the completed work to protect and unify the surface.
Tip — Varnish enhances the depth of glazes and protects the painting. Apply evenly and allow to dry.
Varnishing
glazing
step 03
Apply transparent coats of red and yellow tones (e.g., red ochre, yellow ochre, red lake) mixed with oil or varnish and oil. Glaze over the grisaille to introduce color and warmth, particularly in flesh tones and fabrics.
Tip — Glazing is a transparent coat of color that allows the underlying painting to show through, enhancing depth and luminosity (Source 1).
Glazing
scumbling
step 04
Use semi-opaque paint (scumbling) over darker areas to introduce cool tones or highlights. This technique allows the underlying grisaille to modify the color, creating a grey bloom or coldness where needed.
Tip — Scumbling tends to coldness when employed over a darker ground, useful for shadows and atmospheric effects (Source 1).
Scumbling
critical techniques
Glazing and Scumbling
Used to build color and depth over a monochrome underpainting. Glazing adds transparent color, while scumbling adds semi-opaque highlights or cool tones. This method was common among old masters and is essential for achieving the luminosity in Borovikovsky’s portraits (Source 1).
Simultaneous Contrast
Understanding how adjacent colors affect each other’s perception. This is crucial for harmonizing the composition and accurately rendering flesh tones and fabrics against backgrounds (Source 2, Source 3).
Texture Rendering
Borovikovsky’s mastery in depicting the softness of velvet, brilliance of satin, and sparkle of jewels. This requires careful brushwork and layering to achieve realistic textures (Source 8).
common pitfalls
- →Applying glazes before the underpainting is fully dry, leading to muddied colors and damaged layers (Source 1).
- →Ignoring simultaneous contrast, resulting in inaccurate color perception and disharmonious compositions (Source 2).
- →Over-modeling or becoming too tied to outlines, which can detract from the naturalistic and emotional quality of the portrait (Source 4).
- →Using too many colors in the underpainting, which defeats the purpose of the grisaille method (Source 1).
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 *Portrait of E. N. Arsenyeva* (e.g., exact clothing, background, pose) are not described in the sources.
- ·Borovikovsky’s specific underdrawing technique is not documented in the provided texts.
- ·The exact proportions and dimensions of the canvas are not provided.
- ·Specific pigments used by Borovikovsky beyond general period conventions are not detailed.
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.
- ON COPYING — applied to General advice on avoiding over-modeling.
- THE FIRST PAINTING — applied to Underpainting materials and methods.
- THE SECOND PAINTING — applied to Glazing and finishing techniques.
- THE THIRD PAINTING — applied to Final adjustments and varnishing.
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 315-318 — applied to Color harmony and simultaneous contrast.
- 6 — applied to Chiaroscuro and gradation of light.
Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.
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