plate no. 3663

The Bay of Naples early in the morning

oilRomanticismlandscapeseaskymountaincloudsfiguresship

recreation guide

The Bay of Naples early in the morning (1897) is a quintessential example of Ivan Aivazovsky’s late-career style, characterized by what scholars describe as 'silver-toned seascapes' and 'blue marines' (Source 6). Created in the final two decades of his life, this work reflects a shift from the 'fantastic color' of his earlier Romantic epics to a more delicate, truthful vision of light and atmosphere (Source 6). As a master of marine art, Aivazovsky’s practice was highly academic yet deeply rooted in Romanticism, often depicting the struggle between man and the elements or the serene beauty of the sea (Source 4, Source 6). The painting likely utilizes the glazing and scumbling techniques common among old masters to achieve the luminous, transparent effects characteristic of his water depictions (Source 1).

estimated time

20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions (allowing for drying time between glaze layers)

materials

7 items

steps

6 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Linseed oil	Primary drying oil medium for mixing paints and glazes	Refined linseed oil
Oil of copavia	Historical medium mentioned by Reynolds for first and second paintings; provides a slow-drying, non-yellowing glaze	Gum turpentine or odorless mineral spirits mixed with linseed oil
Ultramarine	Key blue pigment for the 'blue marine' effect and sky/water depths	Ultramarine Blue (synthetic or natural)
Lead White (or Titanium White)	Dominant white pigment for opacity and highlights; historically Lead White was standard	Titanium White (for safety) or Flake White (for historical accuracy)
Black pigment	For creating shadows and neutral tones in the grisaille underpainting	Ivory Black or Mars Black
Red and Yellow pigments	Used in transparent glazes to introduce warmth and color without muddying the underpainting	Alizarin Crimson, Cadmium Yellow, or transparent organic reds/yellows
Canvas or Panel	Support for the oil painting	Linen canvas primed with gesso

preparation

surface prep

Prepare a rigid support (panel or stretched canvas) with a white or light-toned ground. Aivazovsky’s later works are noted for their delicate colors and silver tones, which benefit from a light ground to enhance luminosity. While specific ground recipes for this exact painting are not detailed in the sources, the general practice of the period involved preparing a sound, smooth surface to allow for the fine glazing techniques described in Source 1.

underdrawing

Aivazovsky’s preparatory methods are not explicitly detailed in the provided sources. However, as a 'highly academic' painter (Source 6), he likely employed a precise underdrawing to establish the composition’s coherence. The sources suggest that copying and study from nature were part of his training (Source 8), implying a disciplined approach to initial layout. For this recreation, use a light charcoal or thinned oil sketch to map the horizon, wave forms, and light sources.

underpainting

Create a monochrome underpainting (grisaille) using black, ultramarine, and white, mixed with oil of copavia or a similar medium (Source 1). This step involves 'mentally extracting the red and yellow colours' to establish the value structure and form without color interference (Source 1). This technique allows the artist to focus on the dramatic lighting and atmospheric perspective characteristic of Aivazovsky’s 'silver-toned' style (Source 6).

color palette

Ultramarine Blue

Pure ultramarine, potentially mixed with white for tints

The dominant 'blue marine' tones of the sea and sky, consistent with Aivazovsky’s late style (Source 6)

White

Lead White (historically) or Titanium White

Highlights, foam, and lightening values; essential for the 'silver-toned' effect (Source 6)

Black

Pure black

Shadows and depth in the grisaille underpainting (Source 1)

Red/Yellow Glazes

Transparent reds and yellows mixed with medium

Applying warm tones over the dry grisaille to simulate morning light and atmospheric warmth (Source 1)

composition

The composition likely features a wide view of the sea with the sky included, as is standard in landscape painting (Source 3). Aivazovsky’s later works often depicted 'delicate colors' and 'silver-toned seascapes' (Source 6), suggesting a focus on atmospheric unity rather than sharp, topographical detail. The arrangement should aim for a coherent composition where the elements (sea, sky, light) are balanced to evoke the Romantic spirit of the scene (Source 3, Source 6).

step by step

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

underdrawing

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the horizon line and the major forms of the waves and sky. Ensure the layout is coherent, as landscape painting requires elements arranged into a unified whole (Source 3).
Tip — Keep lines light; this is a guide for the monochrome underpainting.
Contour drawing

underpainting

step 02
Mix black, ultramarine, and white with oil of copavia (or a modern equivalent) to create a grisaille. Paint the entire composition in monochrome, establishing all values and forms. This step extracts the red and yellow colors to focus on structure (Source 1).
Tip — Ensure the grisaille is completely dry before proceeding to glazing.
Grisaille

first pass

step 03
Apply transparent glazes of red and yellow tones over the dry grisaille. Use oil as a medium initially. This technique mimics tinting an engraving with watercolors, allowing the underlying monochrome to show through (Source 1).
Tip — Apply thin, transparent layers to build up color intensity without obscuring the value structure.
Glazing

refining

step 04
Use scumbling (semi-opaque painting) to adjust tones, particularly in areas where a 'grey bloom' or coldness is desired over darker grounds (Source 1). Refine the 'delicate colors' characteristic of Aivazovsky’s late period (Source 6).
Tip — Scumbling tends to coldness; use it to enhance the silver/blue tones of the sea.
Scumbling

finishing

step 05
Add final highlights and details. Aivazovsky’s later works are noted for their delicate handling of light; ensure the 'silver-toned' quality is preserved by avoiding overly saturated, opaque colors (Source 6).
Tip — Use white sparingly to maintain the luminous, atmospheric effect.
Highlighting

varnishing

step 06
Once the painting is fully dry, apply a varnish to protect the surface and unify the gloss. This step is standard in oil painting practice.
Tip — Ensure the painting is completely dry to prevent trapping solvents.
Varnishing

critical techniques

Glazing

A transparent coat of color applied over a dry underpainting to modify hue and value while preserving the underlying form. Essential for achieving the luminous, atmospheric effects in Aivazovsky’s 'blue marines' (Source 1, Source 6).

Scumbling

A semi-opaque painting technique used over darker grounds to create coldness or a 'grey bloom.' Useful for rendering the silver tones and misty atmosphere of the early morning sea (Source 1).

Grisaille Underpainting

Establishing the composition in monochrome (black, ultramarine, white) before adding color. This allows for precise control of values and form, a method practiced by old masters and referenced in Reynolds’ technique (Source 1).

common pitfalls

→Applying glazes before the underpainting is completely dry, which can lead to muddying and cracking (Source 1).
→Using opaque colors too early, which obscures the luminous effect achieved through glazing and scumbling (Source 1).
→Over-saturating the colors, which contradicts the 'delicate' and 'silver-toned' nature of Aivazovsky’s late style (Source 6).
→Darkening colors by adding black, which can cause hue shifts (e.g., yellows shifting greenish); instead, use complementary colors or adjust brightness with white (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 pigment recipes used by Aivazovsky for this exact painting are not provided; the guide relies on general period practices and Reynolds’ methods.
·The exact compositional layout (e.g., position of the sun, specific wave patterns) is not described in the sources, so the artist must rely on visual reference or imagination consistent with the 'blue marine' style.
·Details about Aivazovsky’s specific brushwork or stroke direction are not included in the provided texts.

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

cross-referenced from

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

Wikipedia bio — Ivan Aivazovsky↗
- part 7 — applied to Style description ('silver-toned seascapes', 'blue marines', 'delicate colors')
- part 1 — applied to Artist background and general style context
Wikipedia: Color theory↗
- part 6 — applied to Color mixing advice (avoiding hue shifts when darkening/lightening)
Wikipedia: Landscape painting↗
- part 1 — applied to General composition principles (coherent arrangement, inclusion of sky)