plate no. 1978
The Life of St. Ignatius Loyola. Plate 2. Ignatius writes the Spiritual Exercises in the cave at Manresa.
recreation guide
This artwork, a plate from 'The Life of St. Ignatius Loyola' by Carlos Saenz de Tejada, falls within the genre of history painting, which is defined by its narrative subject matter rather than a specific stylistic period (Source 5). As a history painting, it likely depicts a specific moment in the religious narrative of St. Ignatius writing the Spiritual Exercises, requiring the artist to manage multiple figures and a complex composition that conveys a story rather than a static portrait (Source 5). The style is identified as Art Nouveau (Modern), suggesting a departure from strict academic realism in favor of stylized forms, though the medium is oil, which demands a sound craftsmanship and knowledge of the medium's capacities to avoid being 'dumb' as a thinker (Source 1).
estimated time
40-60 hours over 8-12 sessions
materials
5 items
steps
6 in sequence
materials
| item | purpose | modern equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Oil paints (historical palette) | Primary medium for the painting | High-quality tube oils; consider using earth tones, ochres, and marls for fixedness and covering power as suggested by historical practice (Source 4) |
| Oil of copavia or linseed oil | Medium for glazing and scumbling | Stand oil or pure linseed oil; historically, Sir Joshua Reynolds used oil of copavia for first and second paintings (Source 2) |
| Canvas or panel | Support surface | Linen canvas primed with gesso |
| Charcoal or graphite | Underdrawing | Vine charcoal or graphite sticks |
| Varnish | For glazing and final protection | Dammar or synthetic resin varnish |
preparation
surface prep
Prepare a rigid or stretched canvas support. Given the artist's era and the medium, a traditional oil ground is likely. The sources emphasize that the artist must be a 'sound craftsman' who knows the capacities of their medium (Source 1). While specific priming recipes for Saenz de Tejada are not detailed, historical practice often involved a white or neutral ground to facilitate the glazing techniques described in Source 2. Ensure the surface is smooth enough to allow for the fine finish expected in history painting, but textured enough to hold the oil layers.
underdrawing
Begin with a careful underdrawing to establish the narrative composition. History paintings require precise arrangement of figures to convey the story (Source 5). The sources do not specify Saenz de Tejada's exact drawing method, but general advice suggests that copying works can help correct weaknesses in outline or modeling (Source 1). Use charcoal or a thin wash to map out the figures of St. Ignatius and any accompanying elements in the cave setting. Avoid over-modeling at this stage, as the sources warn against being 'too much tied down to your outline' (Source 1).
underpainting
Apply a monochrome underpainting (grisaille) to establish values and forms. This technique is supported by Source 2, which describes completing a preparation by 'mentally extracting the red and yellow colours' to create a base. This grisaille should be allowed to dry completely before proceeding. This step helps in managing the 'broad masses' and prevents the tendency to 'smallness' or over-detailing early on (Source 1). The underpainting serves as the structural foundation for the subsequent color layers.
color palette
Earth tones (ochres, umbers)
Natural and burnt ochres, brown earths
General use in this artist's palette; Source 4 notes that earths and ochres are sufficient for broken tones and have the quality of covering well and drying easily
White
White lead or zinc white
Highlights and mixing; historically used by ancient artists and Reynolds (Source 2, Source 4)
Black
Ivory black or lamp black
Shadows and depth; part of the basic historical palette (Source 2, Source 4)
Reds and Yellows
Red ochre, vermilion, yellow ochre
Glazing and scumbling layers; Source 2 advises glazing with red and yellow tones over the dry grisaille
Blues
Ultramarine or indigo
Cool tones and shadows; Reynolds used ultramarine in his initial layers (Source 2)
composition
As a history painting, the composition should focus on the narrative moment of St. Ignatius writing. The genre typically involves multiple figures and a dynamic arrangement to convey the story (Source 5). While specific visual details of this plate are not described in the sources, the artist should aim for a composition that harmonizes the inherent colors of the objects (e.g., flesh tones, draperies) with the chosen background elements (Source 7). The arrangement should avoid static positioning, instead capturing a 'moment in a narrative' (Source 5).
step by step
underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing→varnishing
underdrawing
step 01
Sketch the composition lightly, focusing on the narrative placement of St. Ignatius and the cave environment.
Tip — Ensure the outline is not too rigid, allowing for adjustment during painting (Source 1).
Preparatory drawing
underpainting
step 02
Apply a grisaille (monochrome) layer to establish light and shadow, excluding red and yellow tones.
Tip — Mentally extract red and yellow to focus on value structure (Source 2).
Grisaille
first pass
step 03
Once the grisaille is dry, begin glazing with oil and red/yellow tones.
Tip — Apply transparent coats of color, similar to tinting an engraving (Source 2).
Glazing
refining
step 04
Use scumbling (semi-opaque painting) to adjust tones and create coldness or grey blooms where needed.
Tip — Be aware that scumbling over a darker ground tends to coldness (Source 2).
Scumbling
finishing
step 05
Refine details and ensure color harmony, considering simultaneous contrast effects.
Tip — Adjust colors based on their interaction with adjacent tones to enhance visual impact (Source 3, Source 6).
Simultaneous Contrast
varnishing
step 06
Apply a final varnish to protect the painting and unify the surface.
Tip — Ensure the painting is completely dry before varnishing.
Varnishing
critical techniques
Glazing and Scumbling
Used to build up color layers over a dry grisaille. Glazing involves transparent coats, while scumbling is semi-opaque. This method was practiced by old masters and helps in achieving luminosity and depth (Source 2).
Simultaneous Contrast
Understanding how adjacent colors affect each other's perception. This principle helps in harmonizing the composition and enhancing the visual intensity of the colors (Source 3, Source 6).
Monochrome Underpainting
Establishing values and forms in a single color (grisaille) before adding color. This helps in managing the composition and avoiding early color mistakes (Source 2).
common pitfalls
- →Over-modeling or being too tied down to the initial outline, which can lead to a stiff appearance (Source 1).
- →Ignoring the effects of simultaneous contrast, leading to disharmonious color interactions (Source 3).
- →Attempting to mix colors physically on the palette instead of allowing optical mixing through glazing and scumbling, which can reduce luminosity (Source 2, Source 6).
- →Using a palette that is too limited or too profuse without understanding the properties of the pigments, such as their drying times and covering power (Source 4).
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 painting (e.g., exact pose of St. Ignatius, cave layout, clothing patterns) are not described in the sources.
- ·Carlos Saenz de Tejada's specific personal habits or deviations from general Art Nouveau or history painting practices are not detailed.
- ·The exact year of creation is not available, which limits precise contextualization within the artist's career.
- ·Specific pigment recipes used by the artist are not provided, only general historical practices.
grounded in
The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.
The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- ON COPYING — applied to Underdrawing and avoiding over-modeling
- COLOURING A MONOCHROME — applied to Grisaille underpainting, glazing, and scumbling techniques
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 315-318 — applied to Color harmony and simultaneous contrast
The Science of Painting↗
- CHAPTER V. COLOURING SUBSTANCES — applied to Palette selection and pigment properties
cross-referenced from
Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.
Wikipedia: History painting↗
- History painting — part 1 — applied to Genre definition and compositional expectations
Wikipedia: Divisionism↗
- Divisionism — part 1 — applied to Optical mixing and color interaction principles
Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.
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