plate no. 7903

The Artist and His Model

Edvard Munch, 1921

oil, canvasExpressionismgenre paintingfiguresinteriorroomportraitfurniturepainting

recreation guide

Edvard Munch’s *The Artist and His Model* (1921) is a genre painting that reflects his late-period engagement with interior scenes and the figure. While Munch is often associated with his earlier psychological dramas like *The Scream*, his later work, including this piece, demonstrates a continued interest in conveying emotion through form and color rather than strict realism. The artwork belongs to the genre painting tradition, which focuses on scenes of everyday life or studio interiors, often prioritizing a 'reality effect' or emotional significance over scientific accuracy (Source 4). Munch’s practice in this period was characterized by a fixation on using nature and interior spaces to convey inner states, a trait evident in his landscapes and figure studies alike (Source 3).

estimated time

20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions

materials

5 items

steps

6 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints (Ultramarine, Black, White, Red, Yellow)	Primary pigments for underpainting and glazing	Standard tube oil paints
Linseed oil or Poppy seed oil	Binder and medium for glazing	Refined linseed oil or walnut oil
Turpentine	Thinner for initial layers	Odorless mineral spirits
Canvas	Support surface	Linen or cotton canvas, primed
Varnish (optional)	For final glazing layers if following old master techniques	Dammar varnish or synthetic resin varnish

preparation

surface prep

Prepare a standard oil-primed canvas. Munch’s later works often utilized a neutral or toned ground to facilitate the layering of transparent colors. While specific ground recipes for this 1921 work are not detailed in the sources, the general practice of oil painting involves preparing a surface that allows for the 'greater flexibility, richer and denser color' associated with the medium (Source 6).

underdrawing

Munch’s approach to drawing was not about 'scientific accuracy' but about conveying 'emotional significance' (Source 2). The underdrawing should be loose and expressive, focusing on the 'vivid manner' of form rather than minute detail. It should serve as a guide for the emotional weight of the figures rather than a rigid blueprint. As noted in the sources, drawing must be 'more than what is called accurate' and should reflect the 'sentient individual recording the sensations produced in him' (Source 2).

underpainting

Begin with a monochrome underpainting (grisaille). This technique involves mentally extracting red and yellow colors to establish the tonal structure of the painting (Source 1). Use a limited palette, likely black, ultramarine, and white, to create the value structure. This step is crucial for establishing the 'reality effect' without committing to final hues, allowing the artist to focus on form and light (Source 1).

color palette

Ultramarine/Black/White

Ultramarine, Ivory Black, Titanium White

Grisaille underpainting and shadows

Red/Yellow Tones

Cadmium Red, Cadmium Yellow, or similar transparent reds/yellows

Glazing and scumbling layers to introduce warmth and flesh tones

Neutral Grays

Complementary mixes or diluted black

Backgrounds and atmospheric effects

composition

The composition likely features figures in an interior setting, consistent with genre painting conventions that depict 'snapshots of quotidian life' (Source 4). Munch’s compositions often avoid static realism in favor of emotional resonance. The arrangement of the artist and model should emphasize their psychological relationship rather than precise spatial accuracy. The 'accuracy' of the drawing should be judged by how well it conveys the 'particular emotional significance' of the scene (Source 2).

step by step

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

underdrawing

step 01
Sketch the figures loosely on the canvas, focusing on the emotional posture and interaction rather than anatomical precision.
Tip — Avoid over-working the lines; they should remain subservient to the final color layers.
Expressive Drawing

underpainting

step 02
Apply a grisaille underpainting using black, ultramarine, and white. Establish the light and shadow structure, mentally excluding red and yellow tones.
Tip — Ensure the underpainting is completely dry before proceeding to avoid muddying the glazes.
Grisaille

first pass

step 03
Begin glazing with transparent red and yellow tones over the dry grisaille. Apply these colors much like tinting an engraving with watercolors.
Tip — Use oil as a medium initially. The transparency allows the underlying tonal structure to show through.
Glazing

refining

step 04
Use scumbling (semi-opaque painting) to adjust highlights and cool tones. Scumbling over darker grounds can create a 'grey bloom' or coldness, useful for atmospheric effects.
Tip — Watch for the underlying painting to 'make itself felt' through the semi-opaque layer.
Scumbling

finishing

step 05
Refine the emotional expression of the figures. Adjust color harmony using complementary or analogous colors to enhance the mood.
Tip — Ensure the color combinations create 'pleasing contrasts and consonances' that support the narrative.
Color Harmony

varnishing

step 06
Apply a final varnish if desired, potentially mixed with oil for additional glazing effects, as practiced by old masters.
Tip — Ensure the painting is fully cured to prevent cracking.
Varnish Glazing

critical techniques

Glazing and Scumbling

Munch and old masters used glazing (transparent coats) and scumbling (semi-opaque layers) to build color depth and luminosity. This method allows for the extraction of red and yellow tones in the final stages, creating a vibrant surface over a tonal underpainting.

Emotional Accuracy in Drawing

Drawing is not about scientific precision but about conveying the 'emotional significance' of the subject. The artist should prioritize the 'vivid manner' of form over commonplace appearance.

Color Harmony

Use complementary or analogous color schemes to create visual tension or stability, enhancing the mood of the genre scene.

common pitfalls

→Adding black to darken colors can cause hue shifts (e.g., yellows shifting greenish). Use complementary colors to neutralize and darken instead (Source 5).
→Over-working the underdrawing can lead to a rigid, lifeless final image. Remember that drawing should be 'instinctive' and leave the mind free for bigger qualities (Source 2).
→Applying glazes before the underpainting is dry can ruin the tonal structure. Patience is required between layers (Source 1).
→Confusing 'scientific accuracy' with 'artistic accuracy.' The goal is to convey sensation, not photographic realism (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 pigments used by Munch in 1921 are not detailed in the sources.
·Exact dimensions and aspect ratio of the canvas are not provided.
·Specific details of the model's clothing or the artist's attire are not described in the sources, so these must be inferred from general genre painting conventions or left to the artist's discretion.
·Munch's specific brushwork style for this late period is not explicitly detailed, though his general expressive style is noted.

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
The Practice and Science of Drawing↗
- FROM A STUDY BY BOTTICELLI — applied to Underdrawing philosophy and emotional accuracy

cross-referenced from

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

Wikipedia bio — Edvard Munch↗
- Landscapes and Nature — applied to Artist's general practice and emotional focus
Wikipedia: Dutch Golden Age painting↗
- Dutch Golden Age painting — applied to Genre painting context and 'reality effect'
Wikipedia: Color theory↗
- Color theory — applied to Color mixing and hue shift warnings
Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- Oil painting — applied to General medium properties and materials
Wikipedia: Harmony (color)↗
- Harmony (color) — applied to Color harmony principles