plate no. 8097

Portrait Of Philip Tisdall With His Wife And Family

oil, canvasNeoclassicismportraitfiguresportraitlandscapetreesstatueclothing

recreation guide

This recreation guide addresses the painting of a portrait in the style of Angelica Kauffman, specifically referencing the work 'Portrait Of Philip Tisdall With His Wife And Family.' Kauffman identified herself primarily as a history painter, a designation that elevated her portraiture through the application of academic art theory, including principles of design, composition, and coloring (Source 3). Her work is characterized by grace, elegance, and accuracy, reflecting her training in the study of masters such as Raphael and Guido Reni (Source 3). As a Neoclassical artist, her approach likely involved a disciplined method of layering, consistent with the practices of the 'old masters' who utilized monochrome underpaintings followed by glazing and scumbling to achieve depth and tonal harmony (Source 1).

estimated time

40-60 hours over 8-12 sessions

materials

4 items

steps

5 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints (Black, Ultramarine, White, Yellow Ochre/Red Ochre, Vermilion)	For the grisaille underpainting and subsequent glazing layers.	Titanium White, Ultramarine Blue, Ivory Black, Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Red
Oil of Copavia (or modern stand oil/linseed oil)	Medium for the first and second paintings, as specified by contemporary practitioners like Reynolds.	Stand oil or refined linseed oil
Canvas	Support for the oil painting.	Linen or cotton canvas, primed
Varnish	To be mixed with oil for later glazing stages to gain mastery over transparent coats.	Dammar varnish or synthetic resin varnish

preparation

surface prep

Prepare a standard oil-primed canvas. While specific priming recipes for Kauffman are not detailed in the sources, the general practice of the period involved preparing a ground suitable for oil painting. The surface should be smooth enough to allow for the fine finish characteristic of Kauffman's 'accuracy' (Source 3), but textured enough to hold the underpainting.

underdrawing

Kauffman’s training involved extensive study of anatomy and design through copying masters like Raphael and Titian (Source 3). The underdrawing should be precise, focusing on the 'Design' and 'Composition' principles she championed. Use charcoal or thinned oil to establish the figures' poses and proportions, ensuring the 'grace and elegance' noted in her work (Source 3).

underpainting

Create a monochrome underpainting (grisaille). Mentally extract red and yellow colors, translating the scene into what would remain if those colors were absent (Source 1). Use black, ultramarine, and white with oil of copavia as the medium, following the method established by Sir Joshua Reynolds, a contemporary and fellow Royal Academician (Source 1). This layer establishes the chiaroscuro and form before color is introduced.

color palette

Black, Ultramarine, White

Pure pigments

The initial grisaille underpainting to establish tone and form (Source 1).

Yellow and Red tones

Yellow ochre, vermilion, or similar warm pigments

Glazing and scumbling over the dry grisaille to reintroduce color, mimicking the tinting of an engraving (Source 1).

Flesh tones

Warm glazes over neutral underpainting

Human figures, adhering to the fixed nature of flesh color in portraiture (Source 4).

composition

Kauffman’s compositions are guided by academic principles of 'Design' and 'Composition' (Source 3). In a family portrait, the arrangement likely balances the figures to create a harmonious whole, utilizing the 'law of simultaneous contrast' to manage the relationship between flesh tones and draperies (Source 4). The composition should avoid 'smallness' or being 'too tied down to outline,' aiming instead for broad masses and correct finish (Source 2).

step by step

underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing

underdrawing

step 01
Sketch the figures on the canvas, focusing on anatomical accuracy and elegant poses derived from the study of classical masters.
Tip — Ensure the proportions reflect the 'grace and elegance' characteristic of Kauffman's style.
Academic Design

underpainting

step 02
Mix black, ultramarine, and white with oil of copavia. Paint the entire composition in monochrome (grisaille), ignoring red and yellow hues.
Tip — Mentally extract red and yellow colors to focus on form and light (Source 1).
Grisaille Underpainting

first pass

step 03
Allow the grisaille to dry completely. Begin glazing and scumbling with oil, introducing yellow and red tones.
Tip — Apply color much as one would tint an engraving with watercolors (Source 1).
Glazing and Scumbling

refining

step 04
As mastery is gained, mix varnish with oil for subsequent glazing layers to deepen colors and enhance transparency.
Tip — Use scumbling over darker grounds to create coldness or grey blooms if needed for atmospheric effect (Source 1).
Varnish Glazing

finishing

step 05
Refine details, ensuring that the contrast between flesh tones and draperies adheres to the laws of color contrast.
Tip — Be mindful that juxtaposition of colors affects their perceived tone; adjust accordingly to maintain harmony (Source 4).
Simultaneous Contrast

critical techniques

Grisaille Underpainting

A monochrome base using black, ultramarine, and white to establish form before color is added. This was a common practice among old masters and contemporaries like Reynolds (Source 1).

Glazing and Scumbling

Applying transparent (glazing) and semi-opaque (scumbling) layers of color over the dry underpainting to build up tone and hue, particularly reintroducing red and yellow tones (Source 1).

Academic Composition

Utilizing principles of Design and Composition, as Kauffman identified as a history painter who valued these academic tenets (Source 3).

common pitfalls

→Applying color before the grisaille is completely dry, which can muddy the underpainting (Source 1).
→Over-modeling or becoming too tied down to the outline, resulting in a lack of broad mass and finish (Source 2).
→Ignoring the laws of simultaneous contrast, leading to disharmonious color relationships between flesh and drapery (Source 4).
→Using modern prejudices against glazing and scumbling, which were standard practices for old masters (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 details of the Tisdall family's clothing, jewelry, or background objects are not described in the sources, so these must be inferred from general 18th-century portraiture or omitted.
·The exact date of the painting is not available, limiting precise contextual analysis of Kauffman's evolving style.
·Kauffman's specific personal palette recipes are not provided, so the guide relies on the general practices of her contemporaries like Reynolds.

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 and glazing techniques
- ON COPYING — applied to Avoiding common pitfalls like over-modeling
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 6. Put beside each other two flat tints... — applied to Color harmony and contrast in finishing