plate no. 1220

Tempest. Sunset

oil, canvasRomanticismmarinaseawavesskysunsetcliffsclouds

recreation guide

Ivan Aivazovsky’s *Tempest. Sunset* (1856) is a quintessential example of his Romantic marine style, characterized by epic scale and dramatic interplay between light and water. During the 1840s–1850s, Aivazovsky’s work was noted for its variety of colors and romantic themes, marking a period where his style transitioned from the 'fantastic color' of his earlier years toward a more truthful, yet still highly dramatic, vision of nature (Source 4). The painting likely employs the 'highly academic' technique described by Souren Melikian, blending Romantic idealism with realistic elements of light and texture (Source 4). As a master of the marine genre, Aivazovsky focused on the 'romantic struggle between man and the elements,' using color to heighten the emotional impact of the storm (Source 4).

estimated time

20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions

materials

5 items

steps

6 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints (Ultramarine, White, Black, Yellow Ochre, Red Ochre, Vermilion)	Primary palette for creating the grisaille underpainting and subsequent glazes.	High-quality artist-grade oils
Oil of Copavia (or modern stand oil/linseed oil)	Medium for the first and second paintings, as cited in Reynolds’ method which influenced academic practice.	Stand oil or refined linseed oil
Varnish	Mixed with oil for later glazing stages to increase transparency and depth.	Dammar varnish or painting medium
Canvas	Support for the oil painting.	Linen or cotton canvas, primed
Brushes (various sizes)	For blocking in the monochrome, glazing, and scumbling.	Hog bristle for impasto, sable for glazing

preparation

surface prep

The canvas should be primed with a white or light-toned ground to allow for the full range of luminous effects characteristic of Aivazovsky’s seascapes. While specific priming recipes for this exact work are not detailed in the sources, the academic tradition of the mid-19th century typically involved a gesso or oil ground. Aivazovsky’s later 'silver-toned' and 'blue marine' works suggest a reliance on a bright, reflective underlayer to enhance the luminosity of the glazes (Source 4).

underdrawing

Aivazovsky’s preparatory methods are not explicitly detailed in the provided sources. However, given his 'highly academic' style and training under Maxim Vorobiev and Sylvester Shchedrin, he likely employed a precise underdrawing to establish the complex wave structures and horizon lines before applying paint (Source 4).

underpainting

The process likely begins with a monochrome underpainting (grisaille). According to academic practice described in the sources, the artist should mentally extract red and yellow colors, painting the composition in black, ultramarine, and white to establish the value structure (chiaroscuro) before introducing color (Source 1). This aligns with Sir Joshua Reynolds’ method, which was influential in academic circles: 'The first and second paintings are with oil of copavia... the colours being black, ultramarine, and white' (Source 1).

color palette

Ultramarine

Pure pigment

Deep shadows and sky tones; used in the initial monochrome stage.

White

Lead White or Titanium White

Highlights and mixing with ultramarine/black for the grisaille.

Black

Ivory Black or Lamp Black

Deep shadows in the monochrome underpainting.

Yellow/Red Tones

Yellow Ochre, Vermilion, Red Ochre

Applied via glazing and scumbling over the dry grisaille to create the sunset hues.

Blue-Green

Ultramarine mixed with Yellow/White

Water reflections; the juxtaposition of blue and yellow/orange enhances the intensity of the sunset colors (Source 2, Source 6).

composition

Aivazovsky’s compositions from this period are characterized by epic scale and dramatic tension. The 'romantic struggle between man and the elements' is a key theme, suggesting a composition that emphasizes the power of the sea over any human presence (Source 4). The use of chiaroscuro is critical; the juxtaposition of high and low tones creates a 'true gradation of light,' where the highest tones are enfeebled and the lowest heightened at the line of juxtaposition, enhancing the three-dimensional form of the waves (Source 3).

step by step

underpainting→drying→refining→finishing→glazing→scumbling

underpainting

step 01
Create a grisaille (monochrome) underpainting using black, ultramarine, and white mixed with oil of copavia (or stand oil). Establish the full range of values from deep shadows to bright highlights.
Tip — Mentally extract red and yellow colors, focusing only on the structural light and shadow as if those colors were not present (Source 1).
Grisaille

drying

step 02
Allow the grisaille to dry completely. This is essential before applying transparent glazes.
Tip — Rushing this step will muddy the colors. The underlying painting must be dry to allow the glaze to sit on top.
Drying

refining

step 05
Enhance the sunset colors by surrounding them with their complementary colors. Place blue tones near orange/red sunset hues to make the sunset appear more intense and orange.
Tip — Red beside blue verges on orange; blue beside red verges on green. Use this to intensify the sunset without adding more pigment (Source 2).
Simultaneous Contrast

finishing

step 06
Refine the chiaroscuro at the edges of waves. Ensure that the highest tones are slightly enfeebled and the lowest tones heightened at the line of juxtaposition to create a natural gradation of light.
Tip — This creates a 'true gradation of light' and enhances the three-dimensional form of the water (Source 3).
Chiaroscuro

glazing

step 03
Apply transparent coats of yellow and red tones over the grisaille. Use oil initially, then mix varnish and oil for greater transparency. Treat this like tinting an engraving with watercolors.
Tip — Glazing is a transparent coat of color that allows the underlying monochrome to show through, creating depth and luminosity (Source 1).
Glazing

scumbling

step 04
Apply semi-opaque paint (scumbling) over darker areas to create coldness or grey blooms, particularly in the foam and mist of the tempest.
Tip — Scumbling is semi-opaque; the underlying painting makes itself felt through it. When employed over a darker ground, it tends to coldness, useful for sea spray (Source 1).
Scumbling

critical techniques

Glazing and Scumbling

A method where a dry grisaille is overlaid with transparent (glaze) and semi-opaque (scumble) colors. This was a common practice among old masters and academic painters to achieve depth and luminosity without muddying the colors (Source 1).

Simultaneous Contrast

Using complementary colors (e.g., blue next to orange) to intensify the appearance of the sunset. This exploits the optical effect where colors approach the complement of their neighbor (Source 2).

Chiaroscuro

The manipulation of light and dark tones at the boundaries of forms to create a natural gradation of light and volume, essential for depicting the volumetric waves of the tempest (Source 3).

common pitfalls

→Mixing all colors wet-on-wet, which can lead to muddy tones. The sources advocate for a layered approach: dry monochrome first, then glazes (Source 1).
→Ignoring the drying time of the underpainting. Glazing over wet paint will destroy the transparency and clarity of the final image (Source 1).
→Failing to use complementary colors to enhance intensity. Simply adding more pigment can make colors look flat; surrounding them with complements increases brilliance (Source 2).
→Overworking the edges. The law of simultaneous contrast suggests that the gradation of light is most effective when the highest and lowest tones are carefully managed at the line of juxtaposition (Source 3).

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 pigment recipes used by Aivazovsky for *Tempest. Sunset* are not provided in the sources.
·The exact dimensions and canvas preparation method for this specific 1856 work are not detailed.
·Aivazovsky’s specific brushwork techniques for depicting water texture are not explicitly described in the provided passages, though his 'academic' style is noted.
·The specific composition of *Tempest. Sunset* (e.g., placement of the horizon, presence of ships) is not described in the sources, so general compositional advice is used.

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, Scumbling steps
The Science of Painting↗
- 4. When two colours separated by more than two others — applied to Color intensification via complementary contrast
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 6. Put beside each other two flat tints... — applied to Chiaroscuro and edge refinement