plate no. 1344

The Grand Vizier

oil, canvasBaroqueportraitfigureportraitclothingbeardarchitectureinterior

recreation guide

Jean Baptiste Vanmour’s *The Grand Vizier* (1737) is a portrait executed in oil on canvas, situated within the broader tradition of Flemish Baroque painting. While Vanmour was active in the early 18th century, his style is deeply rooted in the innovations of the 17th-century Flemish masters, particularly Peter Paul Rubens and Anthony van Dyck, who defined the artistic nexus of Antwerp and established new directions in portraiture (Source 3). The work reflects the Baroque emphasis on dramatic presence and technical mastery, characteristic of the period’s high-life subjects and courtly portraiture (Source 4). The recreation of this work relies on the traditional methods of the 'old masters,' specifically the practice of building up color through transparent and semi-opaque layers rather than direct mixing. This approach involves a monochrome underpainting (grisaille) followed by glazing and scumbling to achieve depth and luminosity, a technique widely practiced by artists of this lineage despite modern prejudice against it (Source 1). The process demands a sound understanding of the medium’s capacities, treating the painting as a structured craft where the 'alphabet' of oil painting is applied to achieve the final likeness (Source 2).

estimated time

40-60 hours over 8-12 sessions (allowing for drying times between glaze layers)

materials

5 items

steps

6 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints (Black, Ultramarine, White, Yellow Ochre/Red Ochre, Vermilion, Lead White)	For the grisaille underpainting and subsequent glazing/scumbling layers.	Titanium White (substitute for Lead White with caution regarding opacity), Cadmium Yellow/Red (substitute for historical reds/yellows)
Oil of Copavia (or modern stand oil/linseed oil)	Medium for the first and second paintings to ensure proper flow and drying, as cited by Sir Joshua Reynolds.	Stand oil or pure linseed oil
Varnish	Mixed with oil for later glazing stages to gain mastery over transparent tones.	Dammar varnish or synthetic resin varnish
Canvas	Support for the oil painting.	Linen or cotton canvas, primed
Charcoal or Red Chalk	For underdrawing.	Vine charcoal or Conté crayons

preparation

surface prep

Prepare a standard oil-primed canvas. While specific ground preparation for Vanmour is not detailed in the sources, the Flemish Baroque tradition typically utilized a warm-toned or neutral ground to assist with the glazing process. Ensure the surface is smooth to allow for the fine finish characteristic of portraiture.

underdrawing

Create a precise underdrawing of the figure. As this is a portrait, accuracy in likeness is paramount (Source 8). The drawing should establish the proportions and pose, serving as the structural foundation for the subsequent monochrome layer. Avoid heavy ink lines that might show through the glazes; use a light, removable medium.

underpainting

Execute a grisaille (monochrome underpainting) using black, ultramarine, and white mixed with oil of copavia (Source 1). This layer establishes the values and forms without color. The artist must mentally extract red and yellow tones, translating what would remain in nature if those colors were absent (Source 1). This step is critical for the 'old master' technique of building color through transparency.

color palette

Black

Ivory Black or Lamp Black

Grisaille underpainting and shadows

Ultramarine

Natural Ultramarine

Grisaille underpainting, providing cool shadows

White

Lead White (historical) or Titanium White

Grisaille highlights and mixing with glazes

Yellow/Red Tones

Yellow Ochre, Vermilion, Red Lake

Glazing and scumbling layers to introduce warmth and flesh tones

composition

The composition likely follows the conventions of Flemish Baroque portraiture, which often featured life-sized or monumental figures to convey status (Source 4). While specific details of *The Grand Vizier*'s pose are not described in the sources, the artist’s adherence to the Rubens/Van Dyck tradition suggests a focus on dignified, undemonstrative poses that emphasize character and rank rather than excessive rhetoric (Source 6). The background is likely subdued to ensure the sitter remains the focal point, consistent with the portrait genre’s intent to achieve a recognizable likeness (Source 8).

step by step

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

underdrawing

step 01
Transfer the design onto the primed canvas using charcoal. Focus on accurate proportions and facial likeness.
Tip — Keep lines light to avoid interfering with the grisaille.
Direct drawing

underpainting

step 02
Paint the entire composition in monochrome (grisaille) using black, ultramarine, and white mixed with oil of copavia. Establish all light and shadow values.
Tip — Mentally exclude red and yellow colors; focus purely on value structure.
Grisaille

first pass

step 03
Allow the grisaille to dry completely. Begin applying transparent glazes of yellow and red tones over the underpainting.
Tip — Apply thin, transparent coats of color, similar to tinting an engraving with watercolors.
Glazing

refining

step 04
Use scumbling (semi-opaque painting) to adjust tones and create coldness or grey blooms where needed, particularly over darker grounds.
Tip — Ensure the underlying painting makes itself felt through the semi-opaque layer.
Scumbling

finishing

step 05
Continue layering glazes and scumbles, mixing varnish with oil for greater mastery over the transparent tones. Refine details and likeness.
Tip — Check for 'smallness' or over-modeling; maintain broad masses where appropriate.
Layering

varnishing

step 06
Apply a final varnish to unify the surface and protect the glazes.
Tip — Ensure the painting is fully dry before varnishing.
Varnishing

critical techniques

Glazing

Applying a transparent coat of color over a dry underpainting to build depth and luminosity. This was a standard practice among old masters, including those in the Flemish Baroque tradition.

Scumbling

Using semi-opaque paint to modify underlying tones, often creating a 'grey bloom' or cooling effect over darker areas.

Grisaille Underpainting

Establishing the composition in monochrome (black, ultramarine, white) before adding color, allowing for precise control of values.

common pitfalls

→Mixing colors directly on the palette instead of layering them, which defeats the purpose of the glazing technique.
→Applying glazes before the underpainting is completely dry, leading to muddiness.
→Over-modeling or becoming 'too tied down to the outline,' which can result in a stiff, lifeless appearance (Source 2).
→Ignoring the 'broad masses' in favor of excessive detail, leading to a lack of cohesion (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 visual details of *The Grand Vizier* (e.g., exact clothing patterns, jewelry, facial expression) are not described in the provided sources.
·Vanmour’s specific personal palette preferences are not detailed; the guide relies on general Flemish Baroque and Reynolds’ cited methods.
·The exact dimensions and aspect ratio of the original canvas are not provided.

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 Grisaille underpainting, glazing, and scumbling techniques
- ON COPYING — applied to Advice on avoiding over-modeling and maintaining broad masses

cross-referenced from

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

Wikipedia: Flemish Baroque painting↗
- Flemish Baroque painting — part 1 — applied to Contextualizing Vanmour’s style within the Rubens/Van Dyck tradition
- Flemish Baroque painting — part 3 — applied to Portraiture conventions and life-sized monumental figures
Wikipedia: Portrait painting↗
- Portrait painting — part 1 — applied to Importance of likeness and historical context of portraiture