plate no. 6076
Portrait of John Simpson
Angelica Kauffman, 1777
recreation guide
This recreation guide addresses the painting of a portrait in the style of Angelica Kauffman (1741–1807), a Swiss painter who achieved significant success in London and Rome and was a founding member of the Royal Academy of Art (Source 6). While the specific visual details of the 'Portrait of John Simpson' (1777) are not described in the provided sources, the guide focuses on the technical execution of an 18th-century oil portrait consistent with Kauffman’s documented practice and the general Rococo style. The process emphasizes the craft of oil painting, which offers greater flexibility, richer color, and the ability to work in layers (Source 7). The approach relies on the principles of color theory, particularly the simultaneous contrast of colors, to ensure accurate perception and imitation of light modifications on the model (Source 2).
estimated time
40-60 hours over 8-12 sessions
materials
5 items
steps
6 in sequence
materials
| item | purpose | modern equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Canvas | Support for the oil painting | Linen or cotton canvas, primed |
| Linseed oil or Poppy seed oil | Binder for pigments; provides flexibility and rich color | Refined linseed oil or cold-pressed poppy oil |
| Turpentine | Thinner for paint and cleaner for brushes | Odorless mineral spirits or pure gum turpentine |
| Pigments (Black, Ultramarine, White, Red, Yellow) | Primary colors for grisaille underpainting and subsequent glazing/scumbling | Carbon black, Lapis lazuli (or synthetic ultramarine), Lead white (historical) or Titanium/Zinc white (modern safe alternative), Vermilion/Cadmium red, Yellow Ochre/Cadmium yellow |
| Oil of Copavia (or Dammar resin) | Medium for glazing and varnishing, as noted in Reynolds' method cited in the text | Dammar varnish or stand oil |
preparation
surface prep
The canvas should be prepared with a ground suitable for oil painting. While specific priming instructions for Kauffman are not detailed in the sources, the general practice of the period involved preparing the surface to accept oil layers. The artist must ensure the surface is sound, as the knowledge of the medium's capacities is an essential requirement for the craftsman (Source 1).
underdrawing
The sources do not specify Kauffman’s underdrawing technique. However, the text advises that copying works should be done to correct weaknesses, such as being 'too much tied down to your outline' (Source 1). For a portrait, a light, flexible underdrawing is recommended to allow for adjustments in modeling, avoiding the tendency to be overly rigid with outlines.
underpainting
A grisaille (monochrome underpainting) is recommended. The text describes a method where the artist mentally extracts red and yellow colors, painting in black, ultramarine, and white to establish tones (Source 4). This grisaille should be allowed to dry completely before proceeding. This technique aligns with the 'old masters' practice mentioned in the text, which involved glazing and scumbling over a monochrome base (Source 4).
color palette
Black
Carbon black or Ivory black
Establishing shadows and tones in the grisaille underpainting (Source 4)
Ultramarine
Natural or synthetic ultramarine
Cool shadows and tonal variations in the grisaille (Source 4)
White
Lead white (historical) or Titanium white
Highlights and lightening tones in the grisaille and final layers (Source 4)
Red
Vermilion or Cadmium red
Glazing and scumbling flesh tones and clothing details after the grisaille is dry (Source 4)
Yellow
Yellow Ochre or Cadmium yellow
Glazing and scumbling highlights and warm tones (Source 4)
composition
Specific compositional details of the 'Portrait of John Simpson' are not provided in the sources. However, Kauffman was a skilled portraitist and history painter (Source 6). In general Rococo portraiture, compositions often feature soft lighting and elegant poses. The artist should aim to harmonize colors inherent to the objects produced, considering the simultaneous contrast of colors to ensure the portrait appears natural and not distorted by optical effects (Source 2).
step by step
underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing→varnishing
underdrawing
step 01
Lightly sketch the portrait on the prepared canvas. Avoid being too rigid with the outline, as this can lead to over-modeling or timidity in departing from the line (Source 1).
Tip — Check proportions against the model or reference image frequently.
Flexible underdrawing
underpainting
step 02
Create a grisaille using black, ultramarine, and white. Mentally extract red and yellow colors, focusing on the tonal values that would remain if those colors were absent (Source 4).
Tip — Ensure the grisaille is completely dry before proceeding to color layers.
Grisaille
first pass
step 03
Begin glazing and scumbling with oil. Apply yellow and red tones as they occur, similar to tinting an engraving with watercolors (Source 4).
Tip — Glazing is a transparent coat of color; scumbling is semi-opaque, allowing the underlying painting to show through (Source 4).
Glazing and Scumbling
refining
step 04
Adjust colors by considering simultaneous contrast. Be aware that viewing one color for a time affects the perception of the next, potentially causing inaccuracies (Source 2).
Tip — Rest your eyes periodically to avoid fatigue and misjudging color modifications (Source 2).
Simultaneous Contrast
finishing
step 05
Refine details and ensure harmony. If darkening colors, consider using complementary colors rather than black to avoid hue shifts (Source 3).
Tip — Adding black to yellows/oranges/red can shift them toward green/blue; use complements to neutralize without hue shift (Source 3).
Color Mixing
varnishing
step 06
Apply a varnish for protection and texture. The text mentions boiling oil with resin like pine resin or frankincense to create a varnish (Source 7).
Tip — Ensure the painting is fully dry before varnishing.
Varnishing
critical techniques
Glazing and Scumbling
Used over a dry grisaille to apply color transparently or semi-opaquely. This method was practiced by old masters and allows for rich color depth without muddying the tones (Source 4).
Simultaneous Contrast
Understanding that colors appear different when placed next to each other. The painter must perceive and imitate these modifications to accurately represent the model (Source 2).
Color Mixing with Complements
Using complementary colors to darken or neutralize hues instead of black, preventing unwanted hue shifts (Source 3).
common pitfalls
- →Being too tied down to the outline, leading to over-modeling or timidity (Source 1).
- →Adding black to warm colors (yellows, oranges, reds) which can cause them to shift toward green or blue (Source 3).
- →Ignoring simultaneous contrast, leading to inaccurate color perception due to eye fatigue or afterimages (Source 2).
- →Applying color layers before the grisaille is completely dry, which can cause cracking or muddiness (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 visual details of the 'Portrait of John Simpson' (e.g., clothing, pose, background) are not described in the sources.
- ·Angelica Kauffman’s specific personal palette or brushwork style is not detailed in the provided texts.
- ·The exact medium ratios (oil to pigment) used by Kauffman are not specified.
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 Underdrawing and avoiding rigid outlines
- COLOURING A MONOCHROME — applied to Grisaille underpainting and glazing/scumbling techniques
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 315-318 — applied to Color perception and simultaneous contrast
cross-referenced from
Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.
Wikipedia: Color theory↗
- Color theory — part 6 — applied to Mixing colors with complements instead of black
Wikipedia bio — Angelica Kauffman↗
- part 1 — applied to Artist background and status as a portraitist
Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- part 1 — applied to General oil painting properties and varnishing
Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.
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