plate no. 5856
Rue Jouvenet, Rouen
Paul Gauguin, 1884
recreation guide
Rue Jouvenet, Rouen (1884) represents a transitional moment in Paul Gauguin’s career, situated between his early Impressionist experiments and his later Synthetist style. While the artwork is classified as an Impressionist cityscape, Gauguin’s practice during this period was already shifting toward a more calculated approach to color and form. He began moving away from the spontaneous optical mixing of pure Impressionism toward a method where color was used to create 'symphonies and harmonies' rather than merely recording visual reality (Source 4). This painting likely exhibits the muted effects achieved through analogous colors in close proximity, a technique Gauguin developed during his time in Martinique and applied to his European subjects to achieve a specific atmospheric tone (Source 4).
estimated time
20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions
materials
4 items
steps
5 in sequence
materials
| item | purpose | modern equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Oil paints (Ultramarine, White, Black, Yellow Ochre, Red Ochre) | Primary palette for underpainting and glazing | — |
| Canvas | Support surface | Linen or cotton duck canvas |
| Oil of Copavia or Linseed Oil | Medium for painting and glazing | Stand oil or refined linseed oil |
| Varnish | For glazing and finishing | Dammar or synthetic resin varnish |
preparation
surface prep
Prepare the canvas with a traditional ground. While specific preparation for this exact canvas is not detailed in the sources, Gauguin’s later practice and the general tradition of oil painting suggest a stable, absorbent ground. The sources indicate a method involving a monochrome preparation (grisaille) before applying color, implying the surface should be ready to accept transparent layers (Source 3).
underdrawing
Gauguin’s early work does not strongly emphasize the heavy black outlines characteristic of his later Cloisonnist period (Source 5). For this 1884 Impressionist-style cityscape, the underdrawing should be light and structural, focusing on the 'upright lines' and major forms to define shape and contour, consistent with his interest in compositional austerity (Source 4). Avoid heavy, defining outlines at this stage.
underpainting
Execute a monochrome underpainting (grisaille). The sources describe a method where the artist mentally extracts red and yellow colors, painting the composition in tones that would remain if those colors were absent (Source 3). This likely involves using black, ultramarine, and white to establish the value structure and chiaroscuro before introducing chromatic color (Source 3).
color palette
Ultramarine
Pure Ultramarine
Underpainting and cool shadows; creates bluish tones when juxtaposed with warm colors (Source 1, Source 3)
White
Lead White or Titanium White
Highlighting and mixing with ultramarine/black for the grisaille (Source 3)
Black
Ivory Black or Lamp Black
Establishing dark values in the monochrome underpainting (Source 3)
Yellow/Red Tones
Yellow Ochre, Red Ochre, Vermilion
Glazing and scumbling over the dry grisaille to introduce warmth and local color (Source 3)
composition
The composition should emphasize major forms and upright lines to clearly define shape and contour, reflecting Gauguin’s influence from Japanese prints and folk art (Source 4). While specific details of Rue Jouvenet are not described in the sources, the artist’s general practice at this time involved a 'straightforward' conveyance of subjects, avoiding the subtle gradations of color typical of post-Renaissance painting in favor of more direct, calculated arrangements (Source 4, Source 5). The arrangement of lines and colors should be calculated in advance to create harmony, treating the street scene as a pretext for a visual symphony (Source 4).
step by step
underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing
underdrawing
step 01
Lightly sketch the major architectural forms and street layout using upright lines to define contours. Focus on the structural skeleton of the cityscape.
Tip — Keep lines light; they will be covered by the underpainting.
Structural Underdrawing
underpainting
step 02
Paint the entire composition in a monochrome grisaille using black, ultramarine, and white. Mentally extract red and yellow hues, focusing solely on value and form.
Tip — Ensure the grisaille is completely dry before proceeding. This establishes the chiaroscuro and gradation of light.
Monochrome Grisaille
first pass
step 03
Apply transparent glazes of yellow and red tones over the dry grisaille. Use oil as a medium. This mimics the process of tinting an engraving with watercolors.
Tip — The underlying dark ground will affect the transparency and tone of the glaze.
Glazing
refining
step 04
Use scumbling (semi-opaque painting) to adjust tones. If a color appears too pronounced, soften it by surrounding it with objects of the same color but more intense, or use complementary colors to increase brilliancy.
Tip — Watch for the optical effect where juxtaposed colors modify each other (e.g., red beside blue verges on orange).
Scumbling and Simultaneous Contrast
finishing
step 05
Refine the harmonies by ensuring that the arrangement of lines and colors stimulates the imagination rather than just depicting reality. Check for 'symphonies and harmonies' in the color relationships.
Tip — Avoid direct expression of ideas; focus on the mysterious affinity between color arrangements and the mind.
Synthetic Harmony
critical techniques
Glazing and Scumbling
Gauguin’s early practice, influenced by old masters, involved building color through transparent layers (glazing) and semi-opaque layers (scumbling) over a monochrome base. This allows for depth and luminosity that flat mixing cannot achieve.
Simultaneous Contrast
Using complementary colors in juxtaposition to intensify hues. For example, placing blue tones next to orange to make the orange appear more vibrant, or using analogous colors to achieve a muted effect.
Calculated Composition
Treating the painting as a calculated arrangement of lines and colors, similar to a musical composition, rather than a direct transcription of visual reality.
common pitfalls
- →Mixing colors on the palette instead of allowing optical mixing through juxtaposition or glazing, which reduces the intensity and 'brilliancy' of the final image (Source 1).
- →Failing to let the grisaille dry completely before glazing, which can muddy the transparent layers (Source 3).
- →Over-emphasizing realistic detail at the expense of the overall harmonic arrangement of lines and colors (Source 4).
- →Using heavy black outlines prematurely, which is characteristic of his later Cloisonnist period (1888+) rather than this 1884 Impressionist phase (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 visual details of Rue Jouvenet (e.g., exact building facades, presence of figures, specific lighting conditions) are not described in the provided sources.
- ·The exact pigment formulation Gauguin used in 1884 is not specified, though general practices are inferred.
- ·The specific role of varnish in the intermediate stages of this particular painting is not detailed, though mentioned as a medium for glazing in general practice.
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
The Science of Painting↗
- THE LAWS OF COLOURING — applied to Color juxtaposition and complementary contrast
cross-referenced from
Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.
Wikipedia bio — Paul Gauguin↗
- part 25 — applied to Compositional philosophy and use of analogous colors
- part 5 — applied to Context on stylistic evolution away from Impressionism
Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.
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