plate no. 9412
Portrait of the writer D.L. Mordovtsev
Boris Kustodiev, 1901
recreation guide
Boris Kustodiev’s 'Portrait of the writer D.L. Mordovtsev' (1901) is a work rooted in the Realist tradition, aiming to capture a recognizable likeness of the sitter while reflecting the artist’s early modernist sensibilities. As a portrait, its primary intent is to represent a specific human subject, serving as a record of appearance and potentially conveying the admiration or affection the artist held for the writer (Source 3). Kustodiev, trained in the late 19th century, would have approached this work with a foundation in academic drawing and oil painting techniques that prioritize structural accuracy and tonal harmony. The painting likely employs traditional oil methods, including the 'fat over lean' principle to ensure the stability of the paint film, where each successive layer contains more oil than the previous one to prevent cracking (Source 1).
estimated time
20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions
materials
6 items
steps
5 in sequence
materials
| item | purpose | modern equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Oil paints (artist grade) | Primary medium for color application | — |
| Linseed oil | Medium to thin paint and increase oil content for upper layers | Stand oil or refined linseed oil |
| Mineral spirits or turpentine | Solvent for thinning initial layers and cleaning brushes | Odorless mineral spirits (OMS) |
| Canvas | Support surface | Linen or cotton canvas, primed |
| Charcoal or thinned paint | Initial sketching of the subject | Vine charcoal or raw umber thinned with solvent |
| Paintbrushes and palette knives | Application and manipulation of paint | Hog bristle and synthetic brushes; steel palette knives |
preparation
surface prep
The canvas should be properly primed to accept oil paint. While specific priming recipes for Kustodiev are not detailed in the sources, traditional oil painting practice involves preparing a stable ground to support the 'fat over lean' layering technique (Source 1). The surface must be dry and free of dust before beginning the underdrawing.
underdrawing
Begin by sketching the subject onto the canvas using charcoal or thinned paint. This initial step establishes the composition and likeness, which is crucial for portrait painting to ensure the subject is recognizable to those who have seen them (Source 1, Source 3). The drawing should aim for 'artistic accuracy,' conveying the emotional significance and form of the subject rather than just scientific precision (Source 6).
underpainting
It is likely that Kustodiev employed a monochrome underpainting (grisaille) to establish values before applying color. Traditional methods often involve creating a grisaille using black, ultramarine, and white, or similar limited palettes, to define the light and shadow structure (Source 2). This layer should be allowed to dry completely before proceeding to glazing and scumbling (Source 2).
color palette
Flesh tones
Lead white, vermilion, yellow ochre, and raw umber (historical typicals)
General use in this artist's palette for realistic skin rendering
Dark values
Ultramarine, black, and burnt umber
Establishing shadows and depth in the grisaille stage
Warm glazes
Transparent reds and yellows (e.g., alizarin crimson, cadmium yellow)
Glazing over the dry grisaille to introduce color and warmth
composition
The composition organizes visual elements such as line, shape, value, and form to create a cohesive whole (Source 4). In portraiture, the focus is on the sitter, with the arrangement of elements guiding the viewer’s eye to the face and expression. Kustodiev’s approach likely balances the positive space of the figure with the negative space of the background to emphasize the subject’s presence and character, consistent with the genre’s goal of memorializing the individual (Source 3).
step by step
underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing
underdrawing
step 01
Sketch the likeness of D.L. Mordovtsev onto the primed canvas using charcoal or thinned paint.
Tip — Focus on capturing the recognizable features and proportions essential for a good likeness.
Initial sketching
underpainting
step 02
Apply a monochrome grisaille layer using limited colors (e.g., black, ultramarine, white) to establish values and form.
Tip — Ensure this layer is completely dry before proceeding to avoid muddying the colors.
Grisaille
first pass
step 03
Begin applying color using glazing and scumbling techniques. Glaze transparent colors over the dry grisaille to build up tones.
Tip — Use oil as a medium initially. Glazing allows the underlying drawing to show through, adding depth.
Glazing
refining
step 04
Apply subsequent layers of paint, ensuring each layer contains more oil than the previous one ('fat over lean').
Tip — This prevents cracking and peeling. Adjust translucency and sheen as needed using resins or varnishes if desired.
Fat over lean
finishing
step 05
Refine details and adjust colors, considering simultaneous contrast to ensure harmonious color relationships.
Tip — Be aware that adjacent colors affect each other’s appearance; adjust tones to maintain realism.
Color harmony
critical techniques
Fat over lean
A basic rule of oil paint application where each additional layer contains more oil than the layer below to allow proper drying and prevent cracking.
Glazing and Scumbling
Glazing involves applying a transparent coat of color over a dry underpainting, while scumbling uses semi-opaque paint to allow the underlying layer to show through. These techniques were commonly used by old masters to build color and depth.
Simultaneous Contrast
Understanding that colors appear different when placed next to each other, influenced by their complements. This helps in accurately perceiving and imitating light modifications on the model.
common pitfalls
- →Applying lean layers over fat layers, which can cause the paint film to crack and peel (Source 1).
- →Ignoring the drying time of the grisaille underpainting, leading to muddy colors when glazing (Source 2).
- →Failing to account for simultaneous contrast, resulting in inaccurate color perception and application (Source 5).
- →Over-relying on scientific accuracy rather than artistic accuracy, which may fail to convey the emotional significance of the subject (Source 6).
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 pigments used by Kustodiev in this 1901 portrait are not detailed in the sources.
- ·The exact background and clothing details of D.L. Mordovtsev are not described in the provided passages.
- ·Kustodiev’s specific brushwork style for this portrait is not explicitly documented in the sources.
- ·The precise ratio of oil to pigment in his glazes is not specified.
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
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 315. As to the advantages the painter will find in it — applied to Color theory and simultaneous contrast
The Practice and Science of Drawing↗
- FROM A STUDY BY BOTTICELLI — applied to Artistic vs. scientific accuracy in drawing
cross-referenced from
Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.
Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- Oil painting — part 2 — applied to Underdrawing, fat over lean rule, materials, and drying times
Wikipedia: Portrait painting↗
- Portrait painting — part 1 — applied to Intent of likeness and genre conventions
Wikipedia: Composition (visual arts)↗
- Composition (visual arts) — part 1 — applied to General compositional elements
Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.
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