plate no. 6392

St. Bernardino of Siena preaching to Alfonso V of Aragon

oilRomanticismgenre paintingfigurescrowdpreacherlandscapeskytree

recreation guide

This artwork, dated 1783, falls within the period when Francisco Goya was establishing his reputation among the Spanish nobility, having recently been commissioned by the Count of Floridablanca and working on portraits for the Infante Luis (Source 3). While the metadata classifies this as a genre painting, Goya’s work from this era is primarily characterized by portraiture and history painting rather than the 'petit genre' of everyday peasant life associated with Dutch traditions (Source 4, Source 7). The depiction of St. Bernardino preaching to Alfonso V suggests a narrative history painting, a genre defined by depicting moments in a story, often religious or mythological (Source 5). Goya’s approach during this period was noted for its disinclination to flatter, suggesting a realistic, perhaps critical, observation of his subjects rather than idealized romanticism (Source 3).

estimated time

40-60 hours over 8-12 sessions

materials

6 items

steps

5 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil of copavia (or modern damar/resin substitute)	Medium for the first and second paintings, as cited in Reynolds' method which Goya’s contemporaries and predecessors utilized.	Stand oil or linseed oil with a small amount of damar varnish
Black pigment (e.g., Ivory Black or Lamp Black)	Primary color for the monochrome underpainting (grisaille).	Ivory Black
Ultramarine pigment	Primary color for the monochrome underpainting to establish cool shadows.	Ultramarine Blue
White pigment (e.g., Lead White or Titanium White)	Primary color for the monochrome underpainting to establish highlights.	Titanium White (for safety) or Flake White (for historical accuracy)
Transparent red and yellow pigments	For glazing and scumbling to introduce local color and warmth over the dry grisaille.	Alizarin Crimson, Cadmium Yellow Light, or transparent quinacridones
Varnish	Mixed with oil for later glazing stages to gain mastery over transparency.	Damar varnish

preparation

surface prep

Prepare a canvas or panel with a traditional oil ground. While specific preparation for this 1783 work is not detailed in the sources, Goya’s adherence to old master techniques implies a stable, absorbent ground capable of supporting multiple layers of glazing. The surface should be smooth enough to allow for the fine detail required in portraiture and narrative figures.

underdrawing

Goya’s preparatory methods for this specific work are not explicitly described in the provided sources. However, consistent with the 'old masters' practice mentioned in Source 1, a careful underdrawing would likely be executed in charcoal or thinned oil to establish the narrative composition of St. Bernardino and Alfonso V before applying the monochrome layer.

underpainting

Execute a monochrome grisaille using black, ultramarine, and white mixed with oil of copavia (Source 1). This stage involves mentally extracting red and yellow colors to translate what would remain in nature if those colors were absent (Source 1). This establishes the tonal structure and light modifications before color is introduced.

color palette

Black

Ivory Black

Underpainting shadows and defining forms in the grisaille stage.

Ultramarine

Ultramarine Blue

Underpainting cool shadows and atmospheric depth in the grisaille stage.

White

Lead White

Underpainting highlights and establishing value structure.

Transparent Reds and Yellows

Vermilion, Red Lake, Yellow Ochre, or transparent yellows

Glazing and scumbling over the dry grisaille to introduce local color, particularly in flesh tones and fabrics.

composition

As a history painting, the composition likely features multiple figures arranged to depict a specific narrative moment: St. Bernardino preaching to Alfonso V (Source 5). Goya’s portraits from this period are noted for their lack of flattery, suggesting the figures may be rendered with psychological realism rather than idealized grandeur (Source 3). The arrangement should prioritize the interaction between the preacher and the listener, consistent with the narrative focus of history painting.

step by step

underpainting→first pass→drying→refining→finishing

underpainting

step 01
Mix black, ultramarine, and white with oil of copavia. Paint the entire composition in monochrome (grisaille), focusing on values and light modifications without using red or yellow hues.
Tip — Mentally extract red and yellow colors to see the underlying structure of light and shadow.
Grisaille

first pass

step 03
Begin glazing and scumbling with oil. Apply transparent coats of red and yellow tones where they occur in nature, similar to tinting an engraving with watercolors.
Tip — Glazing is a transparent coat of color that allows the underlying grisaille to show through.
Glazing

drying

step 02
Allow the grisaille layer to dry completely. This is crucial before applying transparent glazes.
Tip — Rushing this step can cause muddiness in the final glazes.
Layering

refining

step 04
Use scumbling (semi-opaque painting) over darker grounds to create coldness or grey blooms if needed. Adjust tones to harmonize the composition.
Tip — Scumbling makes the underlying painting felt through the semi-opaque layer.
Scumbling

finishing

step 05
As mastery is gained, mix varnish with oil for subsequent glazes to enhance depth and luminosity. Pay attention to simultaneous contrast, ensuring that adjacent colors do not distort the perception of local color.
Tip — Be aware that the eye may see complementary colors due to fatigue; check colors against neutral backgrounds.
Varnish Glazing

critical techniques

Grisaille Underpainting

Creating a monochrome foundation using black, ultramarine, and white to establish values before introducing color. This was a common practice among old masters.

Glazing and Scumbling

Applying transparent (glazing) and semi-opaque (scumbling) layers of red and yellow over the dry grisaille to build up color and luminosity.

Simultaneous Contrast Awareness

Adjusting colors to account for how adjacent hues affect perception, ensuring that the local color of objects like clothing or skin tones remains accurate despite surrounding colors.

common pitfalls

→Applying glazes before the grisaille is fully dry, which can lead to muddiness and loss of transparency.
→Ignoring simultaneous contrast, resulting in colors that appear distorted due to the influence of adjacent hues.
→Using opaque colors in the glazing stage instead of transparent tones, which defeats the purpose of the layering technique.
→Over-flattering the subjects, contrary to Goya’s documented disinclination to flatter his patrons.

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 St. Bernardino and Alfonso V’s clothing, gestures, and facial expressions are not described in the sources.
·The exact room layout or background elements of the painting are not specified.
·Goya’s specific preparatory sketches or underdrawing methods for this particular work are not documented in the provided texts.
·The specific pigments used by Goya in 1783 are not listed, though general old master practices are inferred.

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, glazing, and scumbling techniques.
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 315-331 — applied to Color harmony and contrast adjustments.

cross-referenced from

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

Wikipedia bio — Francisco Goya↗
- part 5 — applied to Context of Goya’s career in 1783 and his realistic, unflattering style.
Wikipedia: History painting↗
- History painting — part 1 — applied to Classification of the artwork as a narrative history painting.

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

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