plate no. 5592
Remains of the Temple of Apollo said in Hadrian`s Villa near Tivoli
recreation guide
This recreation guide addresses the painting of Giovanni Battista Piranesi’s 'Remains of the Temple of Apollo said in Hadrian`s Villa near Tivoli' in oil, a medium distinct from his famous etchings but consistent with the Neoclassical tradition of topographical views. While Piranesi is primarily known for his graphic work, this exercise applies general oil painting principles from the 19th century to capture the monumental scale and atmospheric depth characteristic of his architectural studies. The process emphasizes the 'fat over lean' rule to ensure structural integrity of the paint film (Source 7) and utilizes the principles of simultaneous contrast to manage the complex interplay of light and shadow on stone surfaces (Source 2). The composition likely avoids exact bisections, favoring a dynamic arrangement of ruins that leads the viewer’s eye through the scene rather than presenting a static pattern (Source 5).
estimated time
20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions, allowing for drying times between glaze layers
materials
11 items
steps
6 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 architectural forms | Vine charcoal or diluted raw umber |
| Linseed oil | Medium for binding pigments and creating transparent glazes | Refined linseed oil |
| Spirits of turpentine | Thinner for initial layers and cleaning; dries 'dead' to prevent soapy surfaces | Odorless mineral spirits or pure gum turpentine |
| Two whites (e.g., Lead White and Zinc White) | Creating highlights and mixing tints; essential for flesh and stone tones | Titanium White and Zinc White |
| Yellow Ochre | Earthy tones for stone and ground | Natural Yellow Ochre |
| Light Red / Vermilion / Rose Madder | Warm accents and atmospheric warmth in shadows or sky | Cadmium Light Red or Quinacridone Rose |
| Cobalt / Emerald | Cool tones for sky and distant atmospheric perspective | Cobalt Blue and Phthalo Green or Emerald Green |
| Raw and Burnt Umber | Underpainting and deep shadows | Raw Umber and Burnt Umber |
| Ivory Black | Deep shadows and neutralizing colors | Ivory Black or Mars Black |
| Oxide of Chromium | Specific greenish-grey tones for weathered stone | Chromium Oxide Green |
preparation
surface prep
Prepare a rigid support such as a primed canvas or panel. While specific preparation for this oil work is not detailed in the sources, traditional oil painting requires a stable, non-absorbent ground to prevent cracking. Ensure the surface is smooth enough to allow for the fine detail required in architectural rendering, but textured enough to hold the brushstroke if desired (Source 7).
underdrawing
Begin by sketching the subject onto the canvas with charcoal or thinned paint. This initial drawing establishes the monumental scale and perspective of the ruins. Piranesi’s work is characterized by precise architectural lines, so the underdrawing should be accurate in proportion and perspective (Source 7).
underpainting
Apply a monochrome underpainting (grisaille) using black, ultramarine, and white, or raw umber, to establish the tonal values of the light and shadow. This step mentally extracts the red and yellow colors, focusing on the structural form. This method is supported by historical practice where the first painting is done in monochrome before adding color (Source 4). Use turpentine alone for this first layer to ensure it dries 'dead' and remains slightly absorbent for subsequent layers (Source 1).
color palette
Warm Greys
Raw Umber, Ivory Black, White
Weathered stone surfaces in shadow
Cool Greys
Cobalt, Ivory Black, White
Distant atmospheric perspective and sky
Earthy Yellows
Yellow Ochre, Raw Umber
Sunlit stone and ground
Warm Reds
Vermilion, Rose Madder
Subtle warmth in highlights or atmospheric haze
Deep Blacks
Ivory Black, Burnt Umber
Deep recesses and structural shadows
composition
The composition should avoid exact bisections of the picture space. The horizon line should be positioned to emphasize either the sky or the ground, likely showing more ground to highlight the monumental ruins. The prominent subject (the temple remains) should be off-centre, balanced by smaller satellite elements like vegetation or distant figures if present. Use detailed areas for the foreground ruins and 'rest' areas for the sky to guide the viewer's eye (Source 5).
step by step
underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing→varnishing
underdrawing
step 01
Sketch the architectural forms using charcoal or thinned paint. Focus on accurate perspective and proportion.
Tip — Ensure the lines are light enough to be covered by subsequent layers.
Initial Sketch
underpainting
step 02
Apply a monochrome layer using turpentine-thinned paint. Establish the light and shadow values without color.
Tip — Use turpentine alone to prevent the surface from becoming soapy and to allow better adhesion of subsequent oil layers.
Grisaille
first pass
step 03
Begin applying color using the 'fat over lean' principle. Mix pigments with linseed oil for this layer.
Tip — Ensure each additional layer contains more oil than the layer below to prevent cracking.
Direct Painting
refining
step 04
Use glazing and scumbling techniques to refine the tones. Glaze with transparent color to deepen shadows; scumble with semi-opaque paint to lighten highlights.
Tip — Scumbling over a darker ground tends to coldness, which can be used to create a grey bloom for distant areas.
Glazing and Scumbling
finishing
step 05
Adjust the contrast of colors. Use the law of simultaneous contrast to ensure that adjacent colors enhance each other rather than clash.
Tip — Be aware that the eye may see colors inaccurately due to mixed contrast; step back frequently to assess the true color.
Simultaneous Contrast
varnishing
step 06
Apply a final varnish to protect the painting and unify the surface sheen.
Tip — Ensure the painting is completely dry before varnishing.
Varnishing
critical techniques
Fat over Lean
Each additional layer of paint should contain more oil than the layer below to allow proper drying and prevent cracking.
Glazing
Applying a transparent coat of color over a dry underpainting to deepen tones and create luminosity.
Scumbling
Applying a semi-opaque layer of paint over a darker ground to create a grey bloom or lighten tones.
Simultaneous Contrast
Adjusting colors based on their interaction with adjacent colors to achieve harmony and accurate perception.
common pitfalls
- →Using too much oil in the initial layers, which can darken the color and render the surface soapy, making subsequent layers prone to lifting (Source 1).
- →Ignoring the 'fat over lean' rule, leading to cracking and peeling of the paint film (Source 7).
- →Failing to account for simultaneous contrast, resulting in colors that appear inaccurate or disharmonious when viewed together (Source 2).
- →Creating a composition with exact bisections or a centered subject, which can make the image static and less engaging (Source 5).
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 'Remains of the Temple of Apollo' composition, such as the exact placement of figures or vegetation, are not described in the sources and must be inferred from the artist's general style or external references.
- ·The exact year of creation is not available, so the specific historical context of the oil medium's use by Piranesi is inferred from general Neoclassical practices.
- ·Piranesi's specific oil painting techniques are not detailed in the provided sources, so general 19th-century oil painting practices are applied.
grounded in
The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.
The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- CHAPTER XV PAINTING IN COLOUR DIRECT FROM LIFE — applied to Underpainting and medium preparation
- COLOURING A MONOCHROME — applied to Glazing and scumbling over grisaille
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 315-318 — applied to Color harmony and contrast adjustments
- 328-331 — applied to Glazing and scumbling techniques
The Practice and Science of Drawing↗
- XX MATERIALS — applied to Importance of material selection
cross-referenced from
Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.
Wikipedia: Composition (visual arts)↗
- part 6 — applied to Compositional structure and balance
Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- part 2 — applied to Fat over lean rule and material properties
Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.
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