plate no. 5829

River View near Deventer

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recreation guide

This recreation guide addresses the painting 'River View near Deventer' by Salomon van Ruysdael. It is crucial to note a significant discrepancy in the provided sources: the source passages exclusively discuss the biography, techniques, and influence of Jacob Isaackszoon van Ruisdael (Salomon’s nephew and the more famous landscape painter), while the artwork is attributed to Salomon van Ruysdael. As the sources do not contain specific visual descriptions of Salomon’s 'River View near Deventer,' this guide relies on the general Baroque landscape conventions of the Dutch Golden Age and the documented practices of the Ruisdael family tradition where applicable, while strictly avoiding inventing visual details for this specific canvas. The artist Salomon van Ruysdael was a prolific painter of landscapes and city views during the Dutch Golden Age, a period characterized by high demand for such works (Source 3). While Jacob van Ruisdael is noted for his 'heroic' landscapes and mastery of water and sky (Source 1, Source 4), Salomon’s work generally adhered to the tonal and classical phases of Dutch landscape art, which emphasized atmosphere through tonality and vigorous contrasts of light and shade (Source 2).

estimated time

20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions

materials

5 items

steps

6 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints (Earth tones, Ultramarine, White, Black)	Primary medium for the landscape	High-quality tube oils
Linseed oil or Oil of Copavia	Medium for glazing and binding pigments, as used by old masters	Stand oil or refined linseed oil
Varnish	For mixing with oil in later glazing stages to increase transparency and flow	Dammar varnish
Canvas or Panel	Support for the oil painting	Linen canvas primed with gesso
Charcoal or Black Chalk	For initial underdrawing, consistent with period practices	Vine charcoal

preparation

surface prep

The surface should be prepared with a ground that allows for the tonal manipulation characteristic of the Dutch Golden Age. While specific preparation for Salomon is not detailed, the general practice of the period involved creating a stable base for oil application. The 'classical' phase of Dutch landscape art, which Salomon contributed to, relied on building up forms through contrasts of light and shade, suggesting a neutral or toned ground rather than a stark white one to facilitate depth (Source 2).

underdrawing

The sources do not explicitly describe Salomon van Ruysdael’s underdrawing methods. However, Jacob van Ruisdael was a draughtsman as well as a painter (Source 3). It is likely that a loose, gestural underdrawing in charcoal or black chalk was used to establish the composition, particularly the horizon line and major forms like trees or buildings, before applying paint. The sources note that composition involves organizing visual elements like line, shape, and space (Source 5).

underpainting

The sources describe a technique used by old masters involving a monochrome underpainting (grisaille) followed by glazing. Sir Joshua Reynolds, who admired Ruisdael’s work, described a method where the first painting is done with oil of copavia using black, ultramarine, and white (Source 7). This suggests a tonal underpainting to establish values before introducing color. This aligns with the 'tonal phase' of Dutch landscape art which suggested atmosphere through tonality (Source 2).

color palette

Earth Tones (Browns, Greens, Greys)

Raw Umber, Yellow Ochre, Green Earth, Black, White

General use in this artist's palette for landscapes, establishing the naturalistic setting

Ultramarine

Ultramarine pigment

Used in the initial tonal underpainting for shadows and sky depth, as noted in Reynolds' description of the method (Source 7)

White

Lead White or Titanium White

Highlights, clouds, and mixing with ultramarine/black for the grisaille underpainting (Source 7)

Black

Ivory Black or Lamp Black

Shadows and defining forms in the underpainting (Source 7)

composition

Specific compositional details of 'River View near Deventer' are not provided in the sources. However, general principles of composition applicable to this genre include avoiding exact bisections of the picture space and positioning the horizon line to emphasize either the sky or the ground (Source 8). In the 'classical' phase of Dutch landscape art, compositions often featured vigorous contrasts of solid form against the sky, with elements like trees or windmills singled out to create a grandiose effect (Source 2). The viewer's eye should be led around the elements before exiting the picture, and a center of interest should be established to prevent the work from becoming merely a pattern (Source 8).

step by step

underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing→varnishing

underdrawing

step 01
Sketch the basic composition using charcoal or black chalk. Establish the horizon line, ensuring it does not bisect the canvas evenly. Place major forms such as the riverbank, trees, and any structures.
Tip — Ensure the composition has a clear center of interest and avoids symmetrical bisections (Source 8).
Underdrawing

underpainting

step 02
Apply a monochrome underpainting (grisaille) using black, ultramarine, and white mixed with oil of copavia or linseed oil. Establish the full range of values from dark shadows to bright highlights without using chromatic color.
Tip — This step establishes the atmospheric tonality characteristic of the period (Source 2, Source 7).
Grisaille

first pass

step 03
Once the grisaille is dry, begin applying color through glazing and scumbling. Use transparent coats of color (glazing) to add warmth and depth, particularly in the mid-tones and highlights.
Tip — Glazing involves applying a transparent coat of color over the dry underpainting, similar to tinting an engraving (Source 7).
Glazing

refining

step 04
Use scumbling (semi-opaque painting) to adjust tones and create texture, particularly in areas like foliage or water. This technique allows the underlying painting to show through, creating complex optical mixtures.
Tip — Scumbling over a darker ground can create a grey bloom or coldness, which may be desirable for atmospheric effects (Source 7).
Scumbling

finishing

step 05
Refine the contrasts between light and shade to achieve the 'grandiose effect' associated with the classical phase of Dutch landscape art. Ensure that solid forms stand out against the sky.
Tip — Focus on the interaction between light and shade to define form (Source 2).
Contrast Enhancement

varnishing

step 06
Apply a final varnish to protect the painting and unify the surface. This was a common practice among old masters to enhance the depth of the glazes.
Tip — Ensure the painting is completely dry before varnishing.
Varnishing

critical techniques

Glazing and Scumbling

These techniques were widely practiced by old masters, including those in the Ruisdael tradition. Glazing adds transparent color layers, while scumbling adds semi-opaque layers to modify tone and texture. This method allows for rich, luminous effects characteristic of Dutch Golden Age landscapes (Source 7).

Tonal Contrast

The 'classical' phase of Dutch landscape art, which Salomon contributed to, emphasized vigorous contrasts of solid form against the sky and light against shade to create a grandiose effect (Source 2).

common pitfalls

→Applying color too opaquely in the early stages, which can muddy the luminous effects achieved through glazing. The old masters relied on transparent layers (Source 7).
→Bisecting the composition evenly, which can make the painting appear static and uninteresting. The horizon line should be positioned to emphasize either the sky or the ground (Source 8).
→Ignoring the atmospheric tonality. The 'tonal phase' of Dutch landscape art relied on tonality to suggest atmosphere, so value relationships are critical (Source 2).

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 'River View near Deventer' (e.g., exact placement of trees, buildings, or figures) are not described in the sources.
·Salomon van Ruysdael’s specific palette preferences are not detailed; the guide infers from general period practices and Jacob van Ruisdael’s documented methods.
·The exact date of the painting is not available, making it difficult to pinpoint the precise stylistic evolution of the artist at the time of creation.
·No source describes Salomon’s specific underdrawing or preparatory sketches for this work.

grounded in

The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.

The Practice of Oil Painting — COLOURING A MONOCHROME↗
- Glazing and Scumbling — applied to Step-by-step process for underpainting, glazing, and scumbling

cross-referenced from

Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.

Wikipedia bio — Salomon van Ruysdael — part 2↗
- Classical phase of Dutch landscape art — applied to Composition notes and critical techniques regarding tonal contrast and grandiose effects
Wikipedia: Composition (visual arts) — part 6↗
- Other techniques — applied to Composition notes regarding horizon lines and center of interest
Wikipedia bio — Salomon van Ruysdael — part 1↗
- Biography — applied to Contextual information about the artist and period