plate no. 1759

Self Portrait

oilHigh Renaissanceself-portraitportraitfigurebeardhatmanface

what to study here

It shows how soft edges, a compressed value range, and one dark mass can build a solid head without visible brushwork.

The useful lesson here is how a narrow value range can still carry a convincing head. The vision analysis describes the face and beard sitting in a high mid-tone band, with no truly bright highlights. The darkest darks sit in the cap and the far right background, and they frame the lit areas. Squint and the image reads as three zones: dark cap and far background, medium-light face and beard, and a medium background with beard shadows. Study how the edges behave. The cap loses definition where it meets the hair, the face melts into the background, and the beard contours fade out. Brushwork follows the downward and outward flow of the beard but leaves no visible strokes. Notice the warm light pooling on the forehead and cheekbones and moving through the beard waves, set against a warm brown ground that deepens toward near-black on the right. Watch the risk that comes with this softness: if the eyes and mouth lose all definition, the face disappears. Also check that the face stays distinct from the beard, since both are warm and close in value.

key decision

The painter kept the face and beard in a narrow high mid-tone band and used the dark cap and right-side background as the only strong darks. All edges are softened so no brushstrokes show.

recreation guide

This recreation focuses on Leonardo da Vinci’s *Self Portrait* (c. 1505), a work emblematic of the High Renaissance. While specific visual details of this particular self-portrait (such as exact clothing patterns or background elements) are not explicitly described in the provided source passages, the artwork is grounded in Leonardo’s documented practice of achieving a 'shadowy quality' known as *sfumato* (Source 4). This technique creates an elusive, lifelike effect where brushstrokes are indistinguishable, and forms emerge from subtle tonal transitions rather than sharp contours (Source 4). The painting likely employs the subdued coloring and smooth, tempera-like oil application characteristic of Leonardo’s mature style, such as seen in the *Mona Lisa* (Source 4). As a self-portrait, it would have been produced with the help of a mirror, resulting in a mirror-image reversal of the artist’s actual appearance (Source 6).

estimated time

40-60 hours over 8-12 sessions

materials

5 items

steps

7 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints (Ultramarine, White, Black, Earth tones)	Primary pigments for the grisaille and glazing stages	High-quality artist-grade oils
Oil of Copavia (or modern stand oil/linseed oil)	Medium for the first and second paintings, as cited by Reynolds regarding old master methods	Stand oil or refined linseed oil
Varnish	Mixed with oil for later glazing stages to gain mastery over transparent coats	Dammar or synthetic resin varnish
Panel or Canvas	Support surface; Leonardo often used panels, though the source notes the rarity of preservation in panel paintings of this date	Wood panel or primed canvas
Mirror	Essential for self-portraiture to capture the likeness	Standard mirror

preparation

surface prep

Prepare a smooth ground to allow for the 'extremely smooth nature of the painterly technique' where brushstrokes are indistinguishable (Source 4). Leonardo’s technique involves laying on oils 'much like tempera,' requiring a non-absorbent, fine surface to facilitate blending (Source 4).

underdrawing

The sources do not explicitly describe Leonardo’s underdrawing for this specific work. However, general portrait practice suggests sketching the general form and rough likeness in pencil, charcoal, or thin oil before proceeding (Source 6). Given Leonardo’s emphasis on *sfumato*, the underdrawing should be subtle to avoid hard lines that would contradict the soft transitions of the final work.

underpainting

Create a monochrome *grisaille* underpainting. The source advises mentally extracting red and yellow colors to translate what would be left in nature if those colors were not present, establishing the tonal structure first (Source 1). This grisaille must be completely dry before proceeding to glazing (Source 1).

color palette

Ultramarine

Pure ultramarine pigment

Part of the initial oil painting stage, mixed with black and white (Source 1)

White

Lead white or titanium white

Highlighting and mixing with ultramarine/black for the grisaille and initial layers (Source 1)

Black

Ivory black or lamp black

Shadows and tonal depth in the initial layers (Source 1)

Red and Yellow tones

Transparent red and yellow glazes

Applied via glazing and scumbling over the dry grisaille to introduce color (Source 1)

Subdued Flesh Tones

Neutralized mixtures using complements

Achieving the 'subdued coloring' characteristic of Leonardo’s work (Source 4)

Neutral Grays

Mixtures of black, white, and complements

Creating the 'grey bloom' and soft transitions of *sfumato* (Source 1, Source 4)

composition

The composition is a self-portrait, which implies a mirror-image reversal of the artist’s features (Source 6). While specific compositional elements like background landscapes are not detailed in the sources for this specific piece, Leonardo characteristically placed figures in dramatic landscapes or used subdued backgrounds to focus attention on the face and hands (Source 4). The face is likely completed first, as was common in portrait studios (Source 6).

step by step

underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing

underdrawing

step 01
Sketch the general form and rough likeness of the face using pencil, charcoal, or thin oil. Focus on the head and hands, as these are the primary areas of detail in Leonardo’s portraits (Source 6).
Tip — Ensure the proportions are correct, keeping in mind the mirror-image reversal (Source 6).
Initial Sketch

underpainting

step 02
Paint a monochrome grisaille using black, ultramarine, and white mixed with oil of copavia (or a similar medium). Mentally extract red and yellow tones to establish the tonal structure (Source 1).
Tip — Ensure the grisaille is completely dry before proceeding to avoid muddying the subsequent glazes (Source 1).
Grisaille

first pass

step 03
Apply the first and second paintings with oil of copavia, using black, ultramarine, and white to build up the form (Source 1).
Tip — Keep the brushstrokes indistinguishable, blending on the surface to achieve a smooth, tempera-like finish (Source 4).
Initial Oil Layers

refining

step 04
Glaze and scumble with oil, introducing yellow and red tones as they occur in nature. Treat this like tinting an engraving with watercolors (Source 1).
Tip — Glazing is a transparent coat of color; scumbling is semi-opaque, allowing the underlying painting to show through (Source 1).
Glazing and Scumbling
step 05
As mastery increases, mix varnish with oil for further glazing. Use scumbling over darker grounds to create a 'grey bloom' and soft transitions (Source 1).
Tip — Be aware that scumbling over darker grounds tends to coldness, which can be used to create atmospheric depth (Source 1).
Varnish Glazing

finishing

step 06
Refine the shadows and highlights to achieve the 'shadowy quality' of *sfumato*. Ensure the corners of the mouth and eyes are subtly shadowed to create an elusive expression (Source 4).
Tip — Avoid sharp contours; blend edges so that forms emerge from the shadows (Source 4).
Sfumato
step 07
Check for simultaneous contrast effects. Ensure that adjacent colors do not distort the perceived tone of the flesh colors (Source 2).
Tip — The eye may perceive colors inaccurately due to fatigue or contrast; adjust tones to ensure the flesh colors remain true to the model (Source 2).
Simultaneous Contrast

critical techniques

Sfumato

A technique creating a shadowy, smoke-like quality where brushstrokes are indistinguishable and forms blend softly into one another. This is central to Leonardo’s style, particularly in the *Mona Lisa* and likely this self-portrait (Source 4).

Glazing and Scumbling

Glazing involves applying transparent coats of color over a dry underpainting. Scumbling involves semi-opaque layers that allow the underpainting to show through. These methods were practiced by old masters to build up color and tone (Source 1).

Grisaille Underpainting

A monochrome underpainting that establishes the tonal structure before color is added. This allows the artist to focus on light and shadow without the distraction of color (Source 1).

Simultaneous Contrast

Understanding how adjacent colors affect each other’s perception. The painter must account for this to accurately represent the model’s colors, especially in flesh tones (Source 2).

common pitfalls

→Failing to let the grisaille dry completely before glazing, which can ruin the transparency of the layers (Source 1).
→Using opaque colors too early, which prevents the subtle blending required for *sfumato* (Source 4).
→Ignoring simultaneous contrast, leading to inaccurate color perception in the flesh tones (Source 2).
→Creating hard contours, which contradicts Leonardo’s smooth, indistinguishable brushwork (Source 4).
→Over-modeling or being too tied to the outline, which can result in a stiff appearance (Source 8).
→Darkening colors by adding black, which can cause hue shifts (e.g., yellows shifting toward green). Instead, use complementary colors to neutralize and darken (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 the *Self Portrait* (1505) such as clothing, background, and exact pose are not described in the sources.
·The exact pigments used by Leonardo for this specific work are not listed, though general period practices are inferred.
·The specific dimensions of the painting are not provided.
·The exact medium (panel vs. canvas) for this specific work is not confirmed, though Leonardo often used panels.

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
- ON COPYING — applied to General advice on craftsmanship and avoiding over-modeling
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 315-318 — applied to Understanding simultaneous contrast and color perception

cross-referenced from

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

Wikipedia: Portrait painting↗
- part 9 — applied to General Renaissance portrait practices and Leonardo’s role
- part 5 — applied to Self-portrait mirror-image reversal and painting order
Wikipedia bio — Leonardo da Vinci↗
- part 16 — applied to Sfumato technique, smooth brushwork, and subdued coloring
Wikipedia: Color theory↗
- part 6 — applied to Color mixing principles and avoiding hue shifts

Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.

read from the painting

observed from the image, not the label

6 dominant colors, measured

what the eye sees

A three-quarter portrait of a bearded man gazing slightly left, lit from the upper left with warm, diffuse illumination. The face and long beard glow in golden-tan tones against a dark, warm brown background that deepens to near-black on the right side. Light pools across the forehead, cheekbones, and through the beard's waves, while a dark cap sits solidly atop the head, anchoring the composition. The eye travels first to the illuminated face, then down through the flowing beard structure, kept engaging by the warm-against-cool interplay throughout.

value structure

The darkest darks (cap, background's right edge, deep beard shadows) establish a dramatic frame around mid-range values that dominate the composition. The face and beard occupy a narrow, high mid-tone band—mostly warm lights and medium tones with only a few true shadows beneath the beard and on the shadowed cheek. When squinted, the image reads as three value zones: dark (cap and far background), medium-light (face and most of beard), and medium (background and beard shadows). No truly bright highlights—the lightest areas land in the high mid-tone range.

observed palette and mixes

#edad5a
Yellow ochre + titanium white + touch of burnt sienna
Beard highlights, forehead light, cheekbone warmth—the glowing centers of illumination
#ab7947
Yellow ochre + raw umber + touch of titanium white
Warm background midtones, mid-beard areas, transition tones in the face
#744f37
Raw umber + burnt sienna + touch of ivory black
Background middle values, shadow areas within the beard, clothing depths
#4d2926
Burnt sienna + ivory black + raw umber
Deep beard shadows, dark clothing folds, shadowed cheek areas
#1a1220
Ivory black + burnt sienna
The cap (darkest dark), deepest background shadows, eye depths

edges and brushwork

Every edge is soft and diffused—the cap loses definition where it meets hair, the face blends seamlessly into background with no hard boundary, and the beard's outer contours fade imperceptibly. Brushwork is invisible; it follows the hair's directional flow in the beard (long, graceful strokes downward and outward) but integrates completely into the paint surface. The technique is pure sfumato—values and hues transition so gradually that individual brushstrokes vanish.

a working sequence

01
Composition and Structure
Block in the proportions lightly: place the head's centerline, mark the cap's silhouette and tilt, establish the shoulder line. Use thin burnt sienna or raw umber diluted with linseed oil. The head sits in the upper two-thirds of your composition; leave space for the beard to extend downward. Pay attention to the slight leftward gaze—the eyes' direction is crucial to likeness.
02
Establish Dark Masses
Paint the cap as a unified dark shape (ivory black + burnt sienna), and block in the far right background shadow. These darkest darks create the framework everything else sits into. Keep edges soft by feathering the cap's edge into the hair area—don't define it sharply yet. The dark background behind the head should already recede.
03
Warm Background and Mid-Tones
Block in the golden-brown background using your warm ochre mix (yellow ochre + raw umber + white). Paint across the full background, working around the head; this layer establishes the warmth that makes the face glow. Start blocking the general shadow side of the face and neck with a mid-brown (raw umber + burnt sienna), leaving the light side untouched for now.
04
Beard Foundation and Flow
Establish the beard's overall structure with medium-warm tones (yellow ochre + burnt sienna + white). Paint the general shape and direction of the beard waves, following the downward and outward flow. Don't blend yet—just establish where the lights and shadows sit. The beard should already show dimensionality through value placement, not detail.
05
Model the Face with Warm Tones
Using your yellow ochre and white mixture, carefully model the forehead, cheekbones, and nose with warm, soft strokes. These light areas sit against the darker shadow side of the face (cheek, jaw line). Blend these transitions gently so no edges are visible. The face begins to emerge as a three-dimensional form, not a flat shape.
06
Refine Facial Features
Paint the eyes with deep definition (dark mix of ivory black + burnt sienna), making sure they align with the leftward gaze you established. Model the nose with subtle warm highlights and shadow. Paint the mouth with restraint—keep it simplified and in shadow. The beard should now occlude much of the lower face; paint carefully around its edge.
07
Layer Beard Highlights and Luminosity
Apply your brightest warm mix (yellow ochre + titanium white + touch of burnt sienna) into the beard highlights—the upper center where light hits strongest, and selective bright strokes following the beard's wave structure. These warm glazes should build luminosity gradually, never opaque. Work carefully to suggest individual hair texture through directional strokes, but keep it impressionistic.
08
Unify with Sfumato and Final Adjustments
Using a soft, dry brush or blending stump, soften every transition: where the beard meets the background, where the face edges into shadow, where the cap sits on the head. No hard edges anywhere. Step back frequently to check the overall value unity. Make final subtle adjustments to warm or cool the shadowed areas, and ensure the glowing quality of the beard reads convincingly against the darker background.

where studies of this painting go wrong

The beard will look like cotton or a shapeless mass if you don't establish clear shadow planes within it—map where light hits and where shadow falls before adding highlights, or it becomes monotonously lit.
Soft edges everywhere can read as unfinished if you lose the facial features entirely; keep enough definition in the eyes and mouth so the face doesn't disappear into sfumato.
The cap's three-dimensional sit on the head is easy to flatten—pay attention to how it tilts and rests; if the head underneath doesn't feel solid, the cap floats.
The warm glow of the beard can overwhelm the face if you don't carefully manage value separation between them; the face must read as distinct and three-dimensional, not just a tan shape behind gold hair.

measured difficulty