plate no. 5297

Portrait of Ferdinand Guillemardet

oil, canvasRomanticismportraitportraitfigureclothingtablehatchair

recreation guide

Portrait of Ferdinand Guillemardet (1798–1799) is a distinctive work by Francisco Goya that captures the French ambassador to Spain with a dynamic, relaxed posture that contrasts with the rigid formality typical of portraiture at the time. The painting is notable for its sophisticated use of chromaticism, particularly the vivid blues, reds, and whites of the French Republic’s colors on the subject’s sash and hat, which stand out against the soft gold of the furniture and the dominant bluish blacks of the background and clothing (Source 1). Goya intended this pose to appear natural yet studied, reflecting the confidence of the young Republic (Source 1). The work exemplifies Goya’s transition toward Romanticism, utilizing oil paint’s capacity for rich, dense color and subtle reflections to create an energetic and psychologically present subject (Source 1, Source 6).

estimated time

40-60 hours over 8-12 sessions

materials

5 items

steps

6 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints (Linseed or Walnut oil binder)	Primary medium for achieving rich, dense color and layering capabilities.	High-quality tube oils mixed with linseed oil
Canvas	Support for the oil painting, consistent with Goya’s practice for large-scale portraits.	Linen canvas, primed with gesso
Turpentine	Thinner for initial layers and cleaning brushes, allowing for fluid application.	Odorless mineral spirits or pure turpentine
Pigments: Ultramarine/Blue, Vermilion/Red, White Lead/Titanium White, Ivory Black/Charcoal	To replicate the specific chromatic contrasts described: vivid republic colors against bluish blacks and soft golds.	Ultramarine Blue, Cadmium Red, Titanium White, Mars Black
Resin Varnish (optional)	To provide protection and enhance the depth of the dark tones, as Goya may have used boiled oil with resin.	Dammar or synthetic resin varnish

preparation

surface prep

Prepare a linen canvas with a traditional oil ground or gesso. Goya worked on canvas for this period, and the medium allows for the 'greater flexibility' and 'richer and denser color' noted in oil painting practices (Source 6). Ensure the surface is smooth enough to support the subtle nuances and reflections in the dark tones, but textured enough to hold the impasto if used for the sash or hat details.

underdrawing

While specific preparatory sketches for this portrait are not detailed in the sources, Goya’s 'studied' pose suggests a careful initial layout. Use charcoal or thinned oil to block in the profile body and frontal face, ensuring the 'relaxed attitude' with crossed legs is accurately proportioned before applying paint (Source 1).

underpainting

Apply a thin, monochromatic underpainting (grisaille) to establish the 'bluish blacks' that dominate the painting. This layer will help manage the 'subtle nuances and reflections' in the dark areas, allowing the vivid colors of the sash to pop later (Source 1).

color palette

Bluish Black

Ivory Black mixed with Ultramarine Blue

Dominant background and clothing tones, providing depth and contrast.

Vivid Blue, Red, White

Pure Ultramarine, Vermilion/Cadmium Red, White Lead/Titanium

The sash, cockade, and hat feathers, representing the French Republic.

Soft Gold

Yellow Ochre mixed with White and a touch of Red

The table and chair, contrasting with the dark background.

Flesh Tones

White, Yellow Ochre, Vermilion, and a touch of Black/Blue for shadows

The face and hands, capturing the 'intelligent gaze' and naturalistic skin.

composition

The composition features the subject sitting with his body in profile but his face turned toward the spectator, creating a dynamic engagement (Source 1). The legs are crossed in a relaxed attitude, which Goya studied carefully to avoid rigid postures (Source 1). The bicorn hat rests on the table behind him, balancing the visual weight of the figure (Source 1).

step by step

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

underdrawing

step 01
Sketch the profile of the body and the frontal face, ensuring the crossed legs and relaxed posture are accurately placed.
Tip — Focus on the 'studied' nature of the pose to ensure it looks natural but intentional.
Proportional blocking

underpainting

step 02
Apply a thin layer of bluish-black tones to establish the background and the dark clothing, leaving areas for the face and sash.
Tip — Use the 'bluish blacks' to create depth and prepare for subtle reflections.
Grisaille

first pass

step 03
Block in the 'soft gold' of the table and chair, and the flesh tones of the face and hands.
Tip — Keep the flesh tones luminous to capture the 'intelligent gaze'.
Direct painting

refining

step 04
Apply the vivid blue, red, and white of the sash and hat. Use pure pigments to ensure they stand out against the dark background.
Tip — Ensure the colors are 'vivid' and distinct, as they personify the power of the French Republic.
Chromatic contrast

finishing

step 05
Refine the 'subtle nuances and reflections' in the dark areas and the skin tones. Add final details to the hat feathers and cockade.
Tip — Use oil’s 'wider range from light to dark' to enhance the dramatic effect.
Glazing and scumbling

varnishing

step 06
Apply a resin varnish to protect the painting and unify the surface sheen.
Tip — Ensure the painting is fully dry before varnishing.
Varnishing

critical techniques

Chromaticism

Goya uses 'subtle nuances and reflections in the bluish blacks' to create depth and contrast with the vivid republic colors (Source 1).

Layering

Oil painting allows for 'the use of layers' to build up rich, dense color and texture (Source 6).

Color Mixing

Avoid adding black to darken colors if it causes hue shifts; instead, use complementary colors or adjust with adjacent hues to maintain saturation (Source 4).

common pitfalls

→Making the pose too rigid; Goya specifically studied this pose to distance it from 'more rigid postures' (Source 1).
→Muddying the vivid colors of the sash by over-mixing; keep the blue, red, and white pure to maintain their symbolic impact (Source 1).
→Ignoring the 'bluish' quality of the blacks; flat black will lack the 'subtle nuances and reflections' characteristic of Goya’s technique (Source 1).
→Shifting hues when darkening colors; use complementary colors rather than just black to avoid unwanted greenish or bluish shifts in warm tones (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 brush types or sizes used by Goya for this portrait.
·Exact pigment recipes for the 'soft gold' of the furniture.
·Detailed information on the underdrawing medium (charcoal vs. thinned oil).
·Specific varnish composition used by Goya in 1798.

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 General advice on copying and technique refinement.

cross-referenced from

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

Wikipedia: Portrait of Ferdinand Guillemardet↗
- Description — applied to Visual details, pose, color scheme, and artistic intent.
Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- Oil painting — part 1 — applied to Medium properties, layering, and varnishing.
Wikipedia: Color theory↗
- Color theory — part 6 — applied to Color mixing techniques and avoiding hue shifts.