plate no. 3491

The cathedral and square, Szatmar

Marianne Stokes, 1909

oilImpressionismcityscapecathedralsquaretreesbuildingsfigurescityscape

what to study here

It shows a bright, narrow-value city scene held together by a dark frame, soft edges and restrained definition on the architecture.

The main lesson here is how a painter keeps a light-struck building luminous without using much value contrast. The vision analysis describes the yellow cathedral facade as the lightest major mass, sitting against a cream sky and a tan square of almost the same value. Study how little separates those pale fields, and how the dark side buildings at the left and right edges, the dome caps and the window openings frame the center and carry the contrast. Squint and the picture reads as a light center with a darker frame, and green tree accents breaking up the middle ground. Look at the edges too. The cathedral outline blurs slightly into the sky, trees are feathered, broken strokes, and figures are small dabs of muted color. Hard definition is kept for the vertical architectural edges, and even those are not crisp. Copy the picture in three values first, then add the softened edges, and see how far the pale unity of sky and square can be held before the yellow loses its glow.

key decision

The painter kept sky and square close in value to the sunlit yellow facade, and placed the darkest darks in the side buildings, dome caps and windows. This lets the cathedral glow without sharp contrast.

recreation guide

Marianne Stokes’s 'The cathedral and square, Szatmar' (1909) is an oil cityscape that reflects her transition from the rustic naturalism of her earlier French period to a more structured, atmospheric approach influenced by her travels in Hungary and the High Tatra (Source 4). While Stokes is often associated with the Newlyn School and Pre-Raphaelite influences, this work aligns with the Impressionist style noted in the artwork metadata, utilizing oil’s capacity for 'richer and denser color' and 'layers' to capture the light and geometry of the urban environment (Source 1). The painting likely employs the principles of simultaneous contrast to harmonize the inherent colors of the architecture with the atmospheric effects of the square, a technique Stokes would have understood through the broader Victorian and Post-Impressionist discourse on color theory prevalent during her career (Source 2, 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, White, Black, Yellow Ochre, Vermilion)	Primary pigments for underpainting and glazing, consistent with Reynolds' method cited in historical practice and Stokes' oil medium.	Standard tube oil paints
Linseed oil or Poppy seed oil	Binder for pigments; linseed for general body, poppy for lighter tones to reduce yellowing.	Refined linseed oil, cold-pressed poppy oil
Turpentine	Thinner for initial washes and cleaning brushes.	Odorless mineral spirits or pure gum turpentine
Canvas or Wood Panel	Support for the oil painting.	Linen canvas primed with gesso
Varnish (optional, for final protection)	To protect the painting and unify the sheen, as oils develop specific sheens depending on the medium used.	Dammar varnish or synthetic resin varnish

preparation

surface prep

Prepare a rigid support such as a wood panel or tightly stretched canvas. Given the architectural subject matter, a smooth ground is preferable to allow for precise linear perspective, though Stokes’ Impressionist style may tolerate some texture. Prime with a traditional oil ground or modern acrylic gesso to ensure proper adhesion of the oil layers (Source 1).

underdrawing

Use a charcoal or thinned oil sketch to establish the linear perspective of the cathedral and square. Stokes’ background in academic training (Munich, Paris) suggests a strong foundation in draftsmanship, even if her final style is loose. The drawing should focus on the 'geometry' and 'proper rendering of perspective' typical of architectural cityscapes (Source 6).

underpainting

Employ a grisaille or monochrome underpainting using ultramarine, white, and black (or earth tones) to establish values and composition. This technique, described by Sir Joshua Reynolds and common among old masters, allows the artist to 'mentally extract' color to focus on form and light before applying transparent glazes (Source 8). This aligns with the 'layers' advantage of oil painting (Source 1).

color palette

Ultramarine

Pure ultramarine blue

Shadows and sky tones; part of the foundational monochrome palette (Source 8).

White

Lead white or Titanium white

Highlights and mixing tints; essential for the 'chiaro-scuro' effects (Source 2, Source 8).

Black

Ivory black or Lamp black

Deep shadows and defining architectural lines in the underpainting (Source 8).

Yellow/Red Tones

Yellow Ochre, Vermilion, or Cadmium Yellow

Glazing over the dry underpainting to introduce warmth and local color, particularly for stone facades and sunlight (Source 8).

composition

The composition likely emphasizes the geometric structure of the cathedral against the open space of the square. While specific details of this painting’s layout are not in the sources, Stokes’ work in Hungary focused on 'picturesque cottages' and cultural records, suggesting an attention to local architectural character (Source 4). The arrangement should utilize 'diagonal views' or strong axial lines to add drama, a technique noted in Dutch Golden Age cityscapes which influenced later European cityscape traditions (Source 6). The contrast between the solid architecture and the atmospheric sky should be managed through simultaneous contrast, where adjacent colors modify each other’s appearance (Source 3).

step by step

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

underdrawing

step 01
Sketch the cathedral and square with charcoal or thinned oil, focusing on accurate perspective and geometric forms.
Tip — Ensure the vanishing points are consistent to create a convincing architectural space.
Linear Perspective

underpainting

step 02
Apply a monochrome layer using ultramarine, white, and black to establish light and shadow values without color.
Tip — Let this layer dry completely before proceeding to avoid muddying the subsequent glazes.
Grisaille/Monochrome Underpainting

first pass

step 03
Begin applying transparent glazes of yellow and red tones over the dry underpainting to introduce local color.
Tip — Use oil as a medium to create a 'transparent coat of colour' that allows the underlying values to show through (Source 8).
Glazing

refining

step 04
Adjust colors based on simultaneous contrast; if a shadow next to a warm wall appears too cool, adjust the tint to reflect the complementary influence.
Tip — Remember that 'the lightest tone will be lowered, and the darkest tone will be heightened' by adjacent colors (Source 3).
Simultaneous Contrast

finishing

step 05
Add final highlights and textural details using thicker paint (impasto) if desired, contrasting with the smooth glazes.
Tip — Oil paint can be 'molded into different textures depending on its plasticity' (Source 1).
Impasto/Texture

varnishing

step 06
Once fully cured, apply a varnish to protect the surface and unify the sheen.
Tip — Varnish provides 'protection and texture' and can be made by boiling oil with resin (Source 1).
Varnishing

critical techniques

Glazing

Applying transparent layers of color over a dry underpainting to achieve depth and richness, a method practiced by old masters and described by Reynolds (Source 8).

Simultaneous Contrast

Adjusting colors based on their interaction with adjacent hues to create harmonious and realistic light effects, crucial for Impressionist cityscapes (Source 2, Source 3).

Layering

Utilizing the flexibility of oil paint to build up layers, allowing for a wider range from light to dark and richer color density (Source 1).

common pitfalls

→Applying wet glazes over wet underpainting, which can lead to muddiness and loss of clarity (Source 8).
→Ignoring simultaneous contrast, resulting in colors that appear flat or inaccurate because they do not account for the modifying influence of adjacent tones (Source 3).
→Overworking the paint, losing the 'spontaneous' effects of contrast that arise from careful juxtaposition (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 choices for this exact painting are not detailed in the sources; the palette is inferred from general oil painting practices and Stokes' era.
·The exact compositional layout of 'The cathedral and square, Szatmar' is not described in the provided texts, so the guide relies on general cityscape and architectural painting principles.
·Stokes' specific brushwork style for this 1909 work is not explicitly detailed, though her general transition to Impressionism is noted.

grounded in

The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.

Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 6. Put beside each other two flat tints... — applied to Color harmony and chiaroscuro effects.
- 315. As to the advantages the painter will find in it... — applied to Simultaneous contrast and color perception.
The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- COLOURING A MONOCHROME — applied to Grisaille underpainting and glazing techniques.

cross-referenced from

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

Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- Oil painting — part 1 — applied to Materials, layering advantages, and varnishing techniques.
Wikipedia bio — Marianne Stokes↗
- Marianne Stokes — part 1 — applied to Artist's background, style evolution, and subject matter context.
Wikipedia: Dutch Golden Age painting↗
- Dutch Golden Age painting — part 16 — applied to Architectural perspective and cityscape composition.

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

Light falls from above-left, flooding the yellow cathedral facade and square with warm, even illumination that dominates the composition's visual center. The twin towers with their peaked, metal-capped domes draw the eye upward immediately, anchored by the massive yellow body below. The square stretches forward in pale tan with scattered green trees and small figures acting as spatial anchors, while darker buildings compress the left and right edges, creating a framing effect that pushes focus toward the cathedral's geometric strength.

value structure

The cathedral's yellow is the lightest major mass, reading as nearly white in places against a cream background. Mid-tones cluster in the greens of trees, the tan square, and the ochre-brown roofline at right. Darkest darks appear in the shadowed building facades at left edge, the metal dome caps, and scattered window openings. Squint and you see: light center (cathedral + square), darker frame (side buildings), with green accents neither light nor dark breaking up the middle ground.

observed palette and mixes

#b99e47
Yellow ochre + raw sienna, high-value yellow ochre dominant
Primary cathedral facade, creating the luminous sunlit wall
#bab78d
Yellow ochre + titanium white + touch of raw umber
Sky and square foreground, diffused atmospheric ground plane
#5e5327
Burnt sienna + ultramarine blue + raw umber
Shadowed building at far left, dome caps, roof tones
#987231
Raw sienna + burnt umber + ochre
Warm reddish roof visible at right edge
#23210f
Ultramarine + burnt sienna, very dark accent
Deepest window holes, fine architectural shadow lines

edges and brushwork

Edges are soft throughout—the cathedral's outline blurs slightly into the pale sky, trees are rendered with feathered, broken strokes rather than hard contours, and figures in the square are suggested with small dabs of muted color rather than defined. The brushwork is deliberately loose in the foliage and crowd, becoming more deliberate and structured only where vertical architectural elements (tower edges, facade lines) require definition, yet even these stop short of crisp precision.

a working sequence

01
Establish the sky and atmospheric wash
Block in the entire upper two-thirds with a warm, pale cream using #bab78d (yellow ochre + white + touch of umber). Keep it utterly flat and luminous—this is the air itself. Apply with a broad flat brush, working thin. This pale tone will make the cathedral glow by contrast.
02
Lay in the square and middle ground
Use the same pale cream-tan (#bab78d) mixed slightly warmer for the large plaza area receding into the middle distance. Notice how it reads as almost the same value as the sky—this unified field is crucial. Block in roughly, suggesting the informal scatter of figures as small warm and cool flecks without detail.
03
Mass in the cathedral yellow
Commit to the dominant yellow (#b99e47) for the entire facade and main body. This should read as significantly lighter than anything around it. Don't worry about architectural divisions yet—just establish that this is the luminous heart. Use a medium flat or round brush, working confidently across the facade and both tower cylinders.
04
Block the frame buildings and roofline
Now establish the darker value structures at the left edge and right side with a mix of #5e5327 (the shadowed browns) and #987231 (the warm roof tone). Notice the building at far left is nearly black; the roof visible at right is a burnt-sienna warmth. These frames compress the composition and make the yellow breathe. Keep edges soft—no hard lines dividing sky from building.
05
Suggest the green trees with broken strokes
Use muted greens (viridian + raw umber, kept low-saturation) for the scattered canopies throughout the square. Look closely: trees are not uniform—some read warmer, some cooler, all are soft-edged and simplified into rough round shapes. Place them to suggest depth: larger and slightly lower value in foreground, smaller and cooler receding. This breaks up the tan monotony and implies a populated plaza beneath.
06
Define the cathedral towers and domes
With a smaller round brush and darker tone (#5e5327), indicate the peaked metal dome caps, the vertical tower ribs visible on the facade, and the shadow lines where towers meet the main body. Notice the domes are a darker, cooler metal-gray, not yellow. Keep these lines loose and suggestion-like—Stokes doesn't overstate structure. The goal is to read 'cathedral' from simplified geometry, not blueprint precision.
07
Add window openings and architectural shadow
Punch in the darkest darks (#23210f or near-black) for window holes and deep shadow pockets under the dome ledge. These are tiny but crucial—they give the facade dimensionality. Work small and spare; look at how few windows are actually rendered. The colonnade base has vertical rhythm suggested by small shadow marks, not rendered stone-by-stone.
08
Scatter figures and refine spatial recession
Add small warm and cool dots/flecks of color in the square foreground to suggest a market or gathering—reds, muted blues, ochres in minimal touches. Make figures in the immediate foreground slightly larger and warmer, those deeper in the square smaller and cooler. The foreground shaded area at very bottom (darker ground in lower left) can be warmed slightly to suggest earth or shadow.
09
Soften and unify edges throughout
Step back. Lightly scrub and blend where hard edges have formed, especially along building profiles and tree contours. This is impressionistic light, not graphic design—nothing should feel carved. A dry brush or soft scumble with a nearly-clean brush will knock down any harshness. Ensure the cathedral still reads luminous against its frame without appearing pasted on.

where studies of this painting go wrong

Making the cathedral too saturated yellow or too bright white—it must glow warm against a cool-warm sky, not jump off as pure lemon. The surrounding pale cream is your control.
Over-rendering trees and figures into small detailed objects rather than color suggestions; they should dissolve into softness and imply busy life, not announce individual presence.
Hardening the building edges at left and right, turning them into graphic silhouettes instead of soft-focused architectural masses that frame the scene; keep edges feathered and atmospheric.
Neglecting the value unity of sky and square—they are nearly the same pale tone. If you make either one pop with bright white, you'll fragment the composition and lose the unified light field that makes the yellow sing.

measured difficulty