plate no. 4735

Portrait of Henry Laurens

oilRococoportraitportraitfigureclothingred curtainletter

what to study here

It shows how a small area of soft, warm light can control a composition built from a black mass and a large red one.

Study how the face is made to glow against two heavy masses. The light comes from the front-left and lands on the forehead, cheeks and the whites of the eyes. The lit side moves into cooler, slightly darker shadow on the right with no hard boundary, so the face reads as a rounded, warm form. The near-black coat is smoothly finished with only suggested folds, and it anchors the figure. The red curtain fills the left half and upper background. It is the middle value, with loose strokes that follow the diagonal hang of the fabric, broken and textured in the lower left. Squint and you should see three value zones: dark coat, light skin and white, and mid-value red. The white lace is implied through broken edges, and the letter is more defined but still painterly. The eye travels from face to letter to lace to curtain. Copy the value plan first, then the soft edge handling on the face, then the contrast between loose curtain and smooth coat. Note that the right background is a muted greenish-gray, which gives some depth.

key decision

The painter kept the face as the only area of soft, gradual modeling and placed it between a near-black coat and a mid-value red curtain. White lace and the letter then pull the eye through the figure.

recreation guide

This recreation guide addresses Lemuel Francis Abbott’s *Portrait of Henry Laurens* (1784), an oil painting executed in the late 18th century. While the specific visual details of Laurens’ attire or expression are not described in the provided sources, the work belongs to the genre of portrait painting, which historically served to memorialize the rich and powerful and aimed to achieve a recognizable likeness of the sitter (Source 3). Abbott, working in a period influenced by Sir Joshua Reynolds and the broader traditions of the 'old masters,' likely employed techniques consistent with the academic practices of the time, such as the use of a monochrome underpainting followed by glazing. The distinctive technical approach for this recreation relies on the method of 'colouring a monochrome,' where the artist first establishes the form and tone in a grisaille (a monochromatic underpainting), mentally extracting red and yellow hues to focus on structure (Source 1). Once dry, transparent layers of color (glazing) and semi-opaque layers (scumbling) are applied to introduce the flesh tones and local colors, a process compared to tinting an engraving with watercolors (Source 1). This method allows for a luminous quality and depth of tone that characterizes the oil painting practices of the era, adhering to the 'fat over lean' rule to ensure the stability of the paint film (Source 5).

estimated time

40-60 hours over 6-8 weeks (allowing for drying times between glaze layers)

materials

7 items

steps

7 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Canvas or panel	Support for the oil painting	Linen canvas primed with gesso
Charcoal or thinned paint	Initial sketching of the subject onto the surface	Vine charcoal or raw umber thinned with solvent
Black, Ultramarine, and White pigments	Creating the grisaille (monochrome underpainting) as per Reynolds' method	Ivory Black, Ultramarine Blue, Titanium White
Oil of Copavia or Linseed Oil	Medium for the first and second paintings to ensure proper drying and adhesion	Stand oil or refined linseed oil
Red and Yellow pigments (e.g., Vermilion, Yellow Ochre)	Glazing and scumbling to introduce flesh tones and local colors	Alizarin Crimson, Cadmium Yellow, or modern lightfast equivalents
Varnish	Mixed with oil for later glazing stages to gain mastery over transparency	Dammar varnish or synthetic resin varnish
Solvents (Mineral Spirits/Turpentine)	Thinning paint for initial layers and cleaning brushes	Odorless mineral spirits

preparation

surface prep

The surface should be prepared to accept oil paint. While specific priming methods for Abbott are not detailed in the sources, traditional oil painting techniques involve preparing a ground that allows for the layering of paint. The artist must ensure the surface is stable to prevent cracking, adhering to the principle that the quality of the oil and ground leads to a strong paint film (Source 5).

underdrawing

Begin by sketching the subject onto the canvas using charcoal or thinned paint (Source 5). This initial step establishes the likeness, which is the primary intent of portrait painting (Source 3). The drawing should be precise enough to guide the monochrome underpainting but flexible enough to allow for adjustments during the modeling phase.

underpainting

Execute a grisaille (monochrome underpainting) using black, ultramarine, and white, mixed with oil of copavia or linseed oil (Source 1). This step involves mentally extracting red and yellow colors to focus on the tonal structure and form of the portrait (Source 1). This method, attributed to Sir Joshua Reynolds, establishes the 'first and second paintings' with these limited colors before introducing full color (Source 1). Ensure this layer is completely dry before proceeding.

color palette

Black

Ivory Black or Lamp Black

Grisaille underpainting for shadows and structure

Ultramarine

Ultramarine Blue

Grisaille underpainting for cool tones and depth

White

Lead White (historical) or Titanium White (modern)

Grisaille underpainting for highlights and mid-tones

Red/Yellow Tones

Vermilion, Red Lake, Yellow Ochre

Glazing and scumbling to introduce flesh tones and warmth

composition

The composition aims to achieve a recognizable likeness of Henry Laurens, serving as a record of his appearance (Source 3). While specific compositional details are not provided, the artist should focus on the 'great effects' of light and shadow, allowing smaller details to result spontaneously from the contrast of tones (Source 2). The arrangement should harmonize the inherent colors of the flesh with the chosen colors of the draperies and background (Source 2).

step by step

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

underdrawing

step 01
Sketch the portrait of Henry Laurens onto the prepared canvas using charcoal or thinned paint.
Tip — Focus on accurate proportions to ensure a recognizable likeness.
Initial Sketch

underpainting

step 02
Paint the grisaille using black, ultramarine, and white mixed with oil of copavia. Establish the full range of light and shadow without using red or yellow.
Tip — Mentally extract red and yellow colors to focus on tonal structure.
Grisaille

first pass

step 04
Apply glazes of red and yellow tones over the dry grisaille. Use oil as a medium initially.
Tip — Glazing is a transparent coat of color that allows the underlying painting to show through.
Glazing

drying

step 03
Allow the grisaille to dry completely. This may take several weeks depending on the thickness of the paint.
Tip — Oil paint dries by oxidation, not evaporation; ensure it is dry to the touch.
Oxidation Drying

refining

step 05
Use scumbling (semi-opaque painting) to adjust tones, particularly over darker grounds to create coldness or grey blooms if needed.
Tip — Scumbling allows the underlying painting to make itself felt through the semi-opaque layer.
Scumbling

finishing

step 06
Refine the likeness and harmonize colors using the principles of simultaneous contrast. Adjust tones where juxtapositions of color may cause visual shifts.
Tip — Be aware that adjacent colors affect each other; the lightest tone may be lowered and the darkest heightened.
Simultaneous Contrast

varnishing

step 07
Apply a final varnish to protect the painting and unify the surface sheen.
Tip — Ensure the painting is fully cured before varnishing to prevent trapping solvents.
Varnishing

critical techniques

Glazing and Scumbling

Used to introduce color over a dry monochrome underpainting. Glazing provides transparency, while scumbling offers semi-opacity, allowing for nuanced tonal adjustments.

Fat over Lean

Each additional layer of paint should contain more oil than the layer below to prevent cracking and peeling.

Simultaneous Contrast

Understanding how adjacent colors affect each other to harmonize the composition and accurately perceive tone modifications.

common pitfalls

→Applying wet paint over wet paint without adhering to the 'fat over lean' rule, which can lead to cracking and peeling (Source 5).
→Ignoring the effects of simultaneous contrast, leading to inaccurate color perception and disharmonious tones (Source 2).
→Attempting to paint in full color from the start rather than using the grisaille method, which may result in a muddy or less luminous finish (Source 1).
→Over-modeling or becoming too tied to the outline, which can make the portrait appear stiff; copying works like Reynolds' can help check this tendency (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 Henry Laurens' clothing, jewelry, or background are not described in the sources and must be inferred from historical records or other images of the painting.
·Lemuel Francis Abbott's specific personal palette preferences are not detailed; the guide relies on the general practices of the period and Reynolds' methods.
·The exact dimensions and support material (canvas vs. panel) of the original artwork are not specified in the provided texts.

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, glazing, and scumbling techniques
- ON COPYING — applied to Advice on avoiding over-modeling and improving finish
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 6. Put beside each other two flat tints... — applied to Understanding tonal gradation and simultaneous contrast

cross-referenced from

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

Wikipedia: Portrait painting↗
- Portrait painting — part 1 — applied to Intent of the portrait and achieving likeness
Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- Oil painting — part 2 — applied to General oil painting techniques, fat over lean rule, and materials

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

read from the painting

observed from the image, not the label

6 dominant colors, measured

what the eye sees

A three-quarter portrait of an older man illuminated by warm, directional light from the front-left, the light catching his forehead, cheeks, and particularly the whites of his eyes. The red curtain dominates the composition, filling the left half and upper background with a deep crimson that recedes in value toward the shadows. The figure is anchored by the black coat forming a dark mass that grounds the composition, with the white lace cravat and held letter acting as value accents that draw the eye after landing on the luminous face. The background right shows muted greenish-gray suggesting interior architecture, creating atmospheric depth. Your eye travels: face → letter → lace → curtain.

value structure

The image operates on three distinct value zones: the near-black of the coat (darkest), the warm light tones of skin and white elements (lightest), and the substantial middle value of the red curtain. The face itself uses a subtle gradient from the lit left side into cooler, barely-darker shadows on the right, with no harsh boundaries—this is the core challenge. When you squint, the face reads as a warm glowing form, the curtain becomes a simplified red mass, and the white elements pinpoint the composition's focal peaks.

observed palette and mixes

#641d09
Cadmium red with burnt umber, shifted toward brown-red
Deep shadows within the red curtain, particularly center-left and lower areas
#550c04
Cadmium red with significant burnt umber and touch of ivory black
Darkest folds in the curtain fabric, upper center-left
#9e9170
Yellow ochre with titanium white and touch of burnt umber
Mid-tone skin on cheeks, forehead, and bridge of nose in light
#633316
Yellow ochre with burnt umber and ivory black, cooled slightly
Shadow side of face, jaw line, and neck where form turns away from light
#040608
Ivory black with minimal burnt umber for warmth
The coat fabric itself, achieving near-total opacity
#1c0c08
Ivory black with burnt umber for warm undertone
Darkest shadows: under the jaw, in eye sockets, coat folds at shoulder

edges and brushwork

The face is painted with soft, blended edges throughout—no hard boundaries between light and shadow, creating the appearance of rounded form rather than flat planes. The curtain shows loose, directional brushwork with visible strokes that follow the fabric's diagonal hang, particularly apparent in the lower-left where the crimson is broken and textured. The coat reads as smoothly finished with suggested folds rather than explicit strokes, while the white lace is implied through broken edges and suggested texture rather than detailed rendering; the letter is more precisely defined but still painterly, not photographic.

a working sequence

01
Establish the composition and underpainting
Lightly sketch the figure's proportions—position the head roughly in the upper-center, note the three-quarter turn, and mark where the letter sits in the lower right and the curtain's diagonal fall. Block in the major masses with a thin burnt umber wash: the red curtain area, the black coat shape, and the face oval. This creates your roadmap.
02
Block in the curtain with value and directional energy
Mix your reds (cadmium red + burnt umber, varying the ratio from warm brown-red to deeper crimson). Apply loose horizontal and diagonal strokes following the fabric's hang and folds. Leave the deepest shadows (upper-left, lower-left) as near-black. Don't blend yet—let the strokes suggest texture and movement. The curtain should feel like cloth with weight and volume.
03
Paint the coat as a unified dark mass
Mix ivory black with a touch of burnt umber. Block the entire coat shape with this dark value, establishing it as the anchor that will hold the composition. The coat should read as almost black, with barely-perceptible variation in value to suggest the shoulder and chest underneath. Keep edges soft where coat meets the light background areas.
04
Establish skin tones and face structure
Mix your core skin tone: yellow ochre + titanium white + a touch of burnt umber, keeping it warm and slightly golden. Apply this to the lit side of the face (left side, forehead, cheeks). Add a cooler, slightly darker version (more burnt umber, less white) for the shadow side (right jaw, neck). Model the face with soft transitions—no hard lines. The modeling should feel gentle and atmospheric, not sculptural. Pay attention to the subtle planes: the forehead catches light, the cheeks turn slightly, the jaw recedes.
05
Refine facial features and add the eyes
While the skin tone is still fresh, suggest the eye shapes with a thin mix of ivory black + burnt umber, keeping them understated. Add a tiny touch of white to the eye's upper-left for the catch light. Block in the mouth with a muted mix of the skin tone + a touch of burnt umber. The nose is suggested by subtle shadow on the right side and highlights on the bridge—model it with value, not lines. Eyes should be quiet; avoid making them too dark or prominent.
06
Paint the white elements—lace and letter
Mix titanium white + a tiny touch of yellow ochre for warmth and to avoid deadness. The lace at the throat and cuff is broken and suggested, not detailed—use ragged edges and a few directional strokes to imply texture. The letter in the hand should be lighter and more defined, with a few marks suggesting writing but not rendered as legible text. These white elements anchor the composition's value structure.
07
Deepen and refine the curtain's depth
Return to the curtain with your darker reds and add more pronounced folds in the upper-left and center. Use directional strokes to enhance the sense of hanging fabric. Vary the value throughout—some areas warmer, some cooler—to avoid flatness. The curtain should feel atmospheric and distant, not a flat backdrop.
08
Adjust values and edges for final coherence
Step back and squint. The face should glow against the dark coat and red curtain. Refine the transition between face and background—where they meet should be soft. If the letter feels disconnected, darken the hand slightly to anchor it. Check that the eye still lands on the face first. Make final edge adjustments: soft where form recedes, slightly crisper where the figure edges the background.

where studies of this painting go wrong

Overworking the face with harsh shadows—the modeling here is subtle and atmospheric. Avoid sculpting the face; let it breathe with soft transitions and a sense of surrounding air.
Making the red curtain uniform in value and color. It needs variation and texture to read as fabric with depth and folds; loose directional brushwork is your friend here.
Painting the white lace and letter too crisply or with too much detail. They work through suggestion and contrast, not specificity. Broken edges and implied texture are more convincing than rendered precision.
Losing the sense of the coat supporting the figure. The black needs subtle internal modeling—a hint of shoulder form, a soft fold at the armpit—so it doesn't read as a flat void.
Neglecting the catch light in the eyes. A tiny, precise highlight in the upper portion of the eye is what makes the face feel alive and directs the viewer's gaze.
Making the background color too uniform. Even within the red, vary the value and add hints of cooler or warmer tones to suggest atmospheric space and prevent flatness.

measured difficulty