plate no. 7244
The Passing Train
Marianne Stokes, 1890
recreation guide
Marianne Stokes’s *The Passing Train* (1890) is a genre painting that captures a moment of everyday life, consistent with the 19th-century tradition of depicting ordinary people in common activities (Source 3). As a work from the Art Nouveau period, it likely employs a modernist spirit in its use of light and color, moving away from strict realism toward a more atmospheric or sentimental interpretation of the scene (Source 4). The painting is executed in oil, a medium that allows for significant manipulation of texture, translucency, and drying time, enabling the artist to refine forms and adjust colors over multiple sessions (Source 5).
estimated time
20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions
materials
6 items
steps
6 in sequence
materials
| item | purpose | modern equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Oil paints (Ultramarine, White, Black, Red, Yellow) | Primary pigments for underpainting and glazing | Artist-grade oil paints |
| Linseed oil | Medium to thin paint and increase 'fatness' for upper layers | Refined linseed oil |
| Mineral spirits or turpentine | Solvent for thinning initial layers and cleaning brushes | Odorless mineral spirits |
| Canvas | Support for the painting | Linen or cotton canvas |
| Charcoal or thinned paint | Initial sketching of the composition | Vine charcoal or diluted oil paint |
| Varnish (optional) | For final glazing or protection, if following old master techniques | Dammar or synthetic resin varnish |
preparation
surface prep
The canvas should be primed with a traditional ground suitable for oil painting. While specific details of Stokes’s ground are not provided, standard practice involves preparing a stable surface to prevent cracking. The 'fat over lean' rule must be observed from the start, ensuring the initial layers are leaner (more solvent) than subsequent layers (Source 5).
underdrawing
Begin by sketching the subject onto the canvas using charcoal or thinned paint (Source 5). The drawing should aim for 'artistic accuracy' rather than mere scientific precision, capturing the emotional significance and form of the scene as perceived by the artist (Source 8). This preparatory step allows for adjustments before committing to opaque color.
underpainting
Create a monochrome underpainting (grisaille) using black, ultramarine, and white, mixed with oil of copavia or linseed oil (Source 1). This stage involves mentally extracting red and yellow tones to establish the value structure of the painting (Source 1). This technique, reminiscent of Sir Joshua Reynolds’ method, provides a solid foundation for subsequent glazing (Source 1).
color palette
Ultramarine
Pure ultramarine pigment
Underpainting and cool tones
White
Lead white or titanium white
Underpainting and highlights
Black
Ivory black or lamp black
Underpainting and shadows
Red
Vermilion or cadmium red
Glazing and scumbling warm tones
Yellow
Yellow ochre or cadmium yellow
Glazing and scumbling warm tones
composition
As a genre painting, the composition likely focuses on figures engaged in common activities, possibly with a sentimental or anecdotal quality (Source 3, Source 4). The artist may have used light and color to infuse the scene with a modernist spirit, breaking away from older traditions (Source 4). Specific compositional details are not described in the sources, so the arrangement should reflect the artist’s general practice of capturing everyday life with emotional resonance.
step by step
underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing→varnishing
underdrawing
step 01
Sketch the composition on the canvas using charcoal or thinned paint.
Tip — Focus on capturing the emotional significance of the scene rather than strict accuracy.
Initial sketching
underpainting
step 02
Apply a monochrome layer using black, ultramarine, and white to establish values.
Tip — Mentally extract red and yellow tones to focus on the underlying structure.
Grisaille
first pass
step 03
Allow the grisaille to dry completely before proceeding.
Tip — Oil paint dries by oxidation, typically within two weeks.
Drying
refining
step 04
Glaze and scumble with red and yellow tones over the dry underpainting.
Tip — Use oil initially, then varnish and oil mixtures for mastery. Glazing adds transparency, while scumbling adds semi-opaque texture.
Glazing and Scumbling
finishing
step 05
Adjust colors and tones, considering simultaneous contrast effects.
Tip — Be aware that adjacent colors influence each other’s appearance; adjust accordingly.
Color Contrast
varnishing
step 06
Apply a final varnish if desired, following traditional methods.
Tip — Ensure the painting is completely dry to prevent trapping solvents.
Varnishing
critical techniques
Glazing
Applying transparent coats of color over a dry underpainting to build depth and luminosity.
Scumbling
Applying semi-opaque paint over a darker ground to create texture and coldness, such as a grey bloom.
Fat over Lean
Ensuring each subsequent layer contains more oil than the previous one to prevent cracking.
Simultaneous Contrast
Adjusting colors based on their interaction with adjacent hues to achieve harmony and accuracy.
common pitfalls
- →Applying lean layers over fat layers, which can lead to cracking and peeling (Source 5).
- →Ignoring the effects of simultaneous contrast, resulting in inaccurate color perception and harmony (Source 2).
- →Failing to allow the underpainting to dry completely before glazing, which can muddy the colors (Source 1).
- →Over-relying on scientific accuracy rather than artistic expression in the underdrawing (Source 8).
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 details of the scene in *The Passing Train* (e.g., exact figures, setting, lighting conditions) are not described in the sources.
- ·Marianne Stokes’s specific palette preferences beyond general oil painting practices are not detailed.
- ·The exact proportion of solvents to oil in Stokes’s medium is not specified.
- ·Whether Stokes used varnish in her glazing process is inferred from general old master techniques but not confirmed for this specific work.
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 and glazing techniques
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- Simultaneous Contrast — applied to Color adjustment and harmony
The Practice and Science of Drawing↗
- FROM A STUDY BY BOTTICELLI — applied to Underdrawing philosophy
cross-referenced from
Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.
Wikipedia: Genre painting↗
- Genre painting — applied to Context of the artwork’s genre and style
Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- Oil painting — applied to Materials and general techniques
Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.
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