plate no. 3967
Portrait of Louis Roy
Paul Gauguin, 1893
recreation guide
Portrait of Louis Roy (1893) is a work executed in the Cloisonnist style, characterized by flat areas of pure color separated by heavy black outlines, reminiscent of medieval cloisonné enameling (Source 2). This approach marks a decisive break from Impressionism, as Gauguin sought to capture the 'soul of nature' and ancient truths rather than surface reality (Source 1). The painting likely employs analogous colors in close proximity to achieve a muted, harmonious effect, while emphasizing major forms and upright lines to define shape and contour with 'bare emotional purity' (Source 1). The composition is calculated to create 'symphonies and harmonies' through the arrangement of lines and colors, stimulating the imagination rather than providing a direct realistic representation (Source 1).
estimated time
20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions
materials
4 items
steps
4 in sequence
materials
| item | purpose | modern equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Oil paints (pure pigments) | To create flat areas of pure color without subtle gradations | — |
| Canvas | Support for the oil painting | — |
| Black pigment (e.g., Ivory Black or Lamp Black) | To create the bold, heavy outlines characteristic of Cloisonnism | — |
| Linseed oil or similar medium | To bind pigments and allow for glazing if necessary, though Cloisonnism favors opacity | — |
preparation
surface prep
Standard oil painting ground preparation. While specific priming methods for this exact canvas are not detailed in the sources, Gauguin’s move away from Impressionism involved a rejection of subtle tonal gradations, suggesting a ground that supports flat, opaque color application rather than transparent layering typical of earlier periods (Source 2).
underdrawing
Gauguin’s work in this period emphasizes 'major forms and upright lines to clearly define shape and contour' (Source 1). The underdrawing likely served to establish these bold outlines, which would later be filled with flat color. The sources do not specify if the drawing was left visible or covered, but the final effect relies on the 'heavy black outlines' separating color areas (Source 2).
underpainting
The sources do not explicitly describe an underpainting technique for this specific portrait. However, Gauguin’s general practice involved 'elaborate formal decoration and colouring in patterns of abstraction' (Source 1). In Cloisonnism, the focus is on the final flat color fields, so an underpainting may have been minimal or used only to establish the compositional structure before applying the pure colors (Source 2).
color palette
Analogous Colors
Pure pigments mixed to maintain saturation
General use in this artist's palette to achieve a muted effect and harmonize man and nature (Source 1)
Black
Pure black pigment
Heavy outlines to separate areas of pure color, mimicking cloisonné enameling (Source 2)
Pure Colors
Unmixed or minimally mixed pigments
Flat areas of color, avoiding subtle gradations (Source 2)
composition
The composition likely features 'compositional austerity' influenced by Japanese prints and folk art, with an emphasis on 'major forms and upright lines' (Source 1). Gauguin’s approach was 'carefully considered and calculated in advance,' treating the subject as a pretext for creating 'symphonies and harmonies' through the arrangement of lines and colors (Source 1). The portrait aims for 'bare emotional purity' and a straightforward conveyance of the subject’s essence, rather than realistic detail (Source 1).
step by step
underdrawing→first pass→refining→finishing
underdrawing
step 01
Sketch the major forms and upright lines of the subject, focusing on contour and shape definition rather than realistic detail.
Tip — Emphasize bold, clear lines that will later serve as boundaries for color fields.
Cloisonnist outline
first pass
step 02
Apply flat areas of pure color within the outlined shapes, avoiding subtle gradations or blending.
Tip — Use analogous colors in close proximity to achieve a muted, harmonious effect.
Cloisonnism
refining
step 03
Reinforce the black outlines to ensure they are heavy and distinct, separating the color areas clearly.
Tip — Ensure the outlines are consistent and bold, reminiscent of medieval cloisonné.
Cloisonné enameling technique
finishing
step 04
Review the composition for 'symphonies and harmonies' of lines and colors, ensuring the arrangement stimulates the imagination rather than depicting reality directly.
Tip — Check that the colors and lines work together to create an independent existence and vitality.
Synesthesia
critical techniques
Cloisonnism
Using flat areas of pure color separated by heavy black outlines, inspired by medieval cloisonné enameling and Japanese prints.
Analogous Color Harmony
Placing analogous colors in close proximity to achieve a muted effect and harmonize the composition.
Non-representational Color
Using color to create 'symphonies and harmonies' that have no counterparts in reality, stimulating the imagination.
common pitfalls
- →Attempting to use subtle gradations of color or classical perspective, which Gauguin explicitly eliminated in his Cloisonnist works (Source 2).
- →Focusing on realistic likeness rather than the 'bare emotional purity' and 'soul of nature' (Source 1).
- →Over-mixing colors, which can lead to a loss of saturation and purity, contrary to the goal of using 'pure color' (Source 2, 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 Louis Roy’s appearance, clothing, or pose are not described in the sources, so the recreation must rely on general Cloisonnist principles rather than specific visual replication.
- ·The exact color palette used for this specific portrait is not detailed, so the artist must infer analogous colors based on Gauguin’s general practice.
- ·The specific underpainting or ground preparation techniques for this canvas are not documented in the provided sources.
grounded in
The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- Color Theory — applied to Understanding color interactions, though not directly cited for specific steps, it informs the general approach to color harmony.
cross-referenced from
Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.
Wikipedia bio — Paul Gauguin — part 25↗
- General Practice and Cloisonnism — applied to Overview, color palette, composition notes, and step-by-step process regarding analogous colors and non-representational color.
Wikipedia bio — Paul Gauguin — part 6↗
- Development of Cloisonnism — applied to Overview, materials list, step-by-step process, and critical techniques regarding flat color and black outlines.
Wikipedia: Color theory↗
- Color Mixing — applied to Warning against over-mixing colors to maintain saturation.
Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.
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