plate no. 9642
The Port, Le Havre
Albert Marquet, 1906
recreation guide
Albert Marquet’s 'The Port, Le Havre' (1906) represents a transitional phase in his career, situated between his early Fauvist experiments and his later, more naturalistic landscape style. While Marquet exhibited with the Fauves in 1905, he was distinct in his use of less violent colors, favoring grayed tones created by mixing complementaries rather than pure grays (Source 7). This work likely reflects his characteristic approach to light, where he responded to illumination not just by intensifying strong tones but by interpreting weaker tones in coloristic terms (Source 7). The painting is grounded in the principles of simultaneous contrast, where the artist must perceive how contiguous colors modify one another to achieve harmony inherent to the objects represented (Source 1, Source 3).
estimated time
20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions
materials
5 items
steps
5 in sequence
materials
| item | purpose | modern equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Oil paints (Ultramarine, White, Black, Yellow Ochre, Vermilion/Red Ochre) | Primary pigments for underpainting and glazing. Marquet favored grayed violets, blues, and yellows, often using black for violent contrast against light areas (Source 7). | Artist-grade oil paints |
| Linseed oil or Oil of Copavia | Medium for glazing and scumbling. Historical texts note the use of oil of copavia for first and second paintings to ensure proper drying and transparency (Source 2, Source 8). | Stand oil or refined linseed oil |
| Mineral spirits or Turpentine | Solvent for thinning paint for underdrawing and cleaning brushes. Essential for the 'lean' layers in the fat-over-lean rule (Source 8). | Odorless mineral spirits (Gamsol) |
| Canvas or Panel | Support surface. Marquet’s work from this period was typically executed on canvas. | Linen or cotton canvas, primed |
| Charcoal or Thinned Paint | For initial sketching. Traditional oil painting techniques often begin with sketching the subject onto the canvas with charcoal or thinned paint (Source 8). | Vine charcoal or diluted raw umber |
preparation
surface prep
The surface should be prepared with a traditional oil ground. While specific priming details for this exact canvas are not in the sources, Marquet’s association with the École des Beaux-Arts and traditional oil practices suggests a stable, absorbent ground. The 'fat over lean' rule implies that the initial layers must be lean (less oil) to prevent cracking in subsequent richer layers (Source 8).
underdrawing
Marquet is noted for his 'fine control of the drawing' and calligraphic lines, particularly in his city views where forms are contrasted with light backgrounds (Source 7). For this marina scene, the underdrawing should likely establish the structural lines of the port and ships with precision, possibly using charcoal or thinned paint, as is traditional for oil painting (Source 8).
underpainting
A grisaille (monochrome underpainting) is recommended to establish tonal values before applying color. This aligns with the historical practice described in Source 2, where a monochrome preparation allows the artist to mentally extract red and yellow tones, focusing first on the structure of light and shadow. This method helps in harmonizing colors inherent to the objects (Source 1).
color palette
Grayed Blue/Violet
Ultramarine mixed with White and small amounts of complementary Red/Orange to gray it down
Marquet favored grayed violets and blues, avoiding pure grays (Source 7). Used for water and sky tones.
Grayed Yellow
Yellow Ochre mixed with White and small amounts of complementary Violet/Blue
Marquet favored grayed yellows, particularly for light areas like streets or water reflections (Source 7).
Black
Ivory Black or Lamp Black
Used as a violent contrast to light colors for forms such as tree trunks or structural elements (Source 7). Also part of the initial monochrome palette (Source 2).
White
Titanium or Zinc White
Essential for creating the grayed tones and highlights. Part of the initial monochrome palette (Source 2).
composition
Marquet’s compositions from this period often refer to the rectangle of the canvas, cutting its plane with calligraphic lines (Source 7). While specific details of 'The Port, Le Havre' are not described in the sources, his general practice involved an approximation of traditional perspective, with strong contrasts between dark forms and light backgrounds (Source 7). The composition should balance the 'great effects' of light with the 'small ones' resulting from contrast laws (Source 3).
step by step
underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing
underdrawing
step 01
Sketch the composition lightly using charcoal or thinned paint. Focus on the calligraphic lines of the port structures and ships, ensuring the structural integrity of the scene.
Tip — Marquet had fine control of drawing; ensure lines are confident but not heavy.
Traditional oil sketching
underpainting
step 02
Create a grisaille using black, ultramarine, and white. Establish the tonal values of the scene, focusing on the contrast between light and dark areas. This monochrome layer should be lean (mixed with solvent).
Tip — This step allows you to focus on value structure without the distraction of color, aligning with the practice of extracting red/yellow tones mentally (Source 2).
Grisaille underpainting
first pass
step 03
Once the grisaille is dry, begin glazing and scumbling. Apply transparent coats of color (glazing) and semi-opaque layers (scumbling) to introduce the grayed blues, violets, and yellows.
Tip — Use oil of copavia or linseed oil as a medium. Glazing adds depth, while scumbling over darker grounds can create a 'grey bloom' (Source 2).
Glazing and Scumbling
refining
step 04
Refine the colors by considering simultaneous contrast. Adjust tones where colors meet, ensuring that the lightest tones are lowered and darkest heightened where they juxtapose (Source 3). Use black for violent contrasts against light areas if needed (Source 7).
Tip — Be aware that the eye may see colors inaccurately due to mixed contrast; step back frequently to assess true hues (Source 1).
Simultaneous Contrast Adjustment
finishing
step 05
Finalize the painting by ensuring harmony between inherent colors and those chosen by the artist. Check that the modifications of light on the model are promptly and surely imitated (Source 1).
Tip — Ensure that the 'great effects' of light are balanced with the subtle modifications resulting from contrast (Source 3).
Harmonization
critical techniques
Glazing and Scumbling
Used to build up color layers over a dry monochrome underpainting. Glazing provides transparency, while scumbling allows the underlying painting to show through, creating complex tonal effects like a 'grey bloom' (Source 2).
Simultaneous Contrast
The artist must perceive how contiguous colors modify each other. When two colors are placed side-by-side, they appear different than when viewed separately. This principle guides the adjustment of tones to achieve harmony (Source 1, Source 3).
Grayed Tones via Complementaries
Marquet favored grayed yellows, violets, and blues, achieved by mixing complementaries rather than using pure grays. This technique allows for vibrant yet subdued colors characteristic of his style (Source 7).
common pitfalls
- →Using pure grays instead of grayed tones created by mixing complementaries, which would miss Marquet’s specific coloristic approach (Source 7).
- →Ignoring the law of simultaneous contrast, leading to colors that appear inaccurate or disharmonious when placed next to each other (Source 1).
- →Applying fat layers over lean layers incorrectly, which can cause cracking and peeling. Each additional layer should contain more oil than the one below (Source 8).
- →Over-modeling or becoming too tied to outlines, which Marquet avoided in favor of broader masses and calligraphic lines (Source 6, Source 7).
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 Port, Le Havre' (e.g., exact arrangement of ships, specific lighting conditions) are not described in the sources, so the recreation relies on Marquet’s general style and period conventions.
- ·The exact ratio of solvents to oil in Marquet’s personal medium is not specified, though historical texts mention oil of copavia (Source 2).
- ·The specific brush types Marquet used are not detailed, though traditional brushes and palette knives are mentioned as general tools (Source 8).
grounded in
The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- Simultaneous Contrast — applied to Color harmony and tone adjustment steps
The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- Colouring a Monochrome — applied to Underpainting and glazing/scumbling techniques
cross-referenced from
Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.
Wikipedia bio — Albert Marquet↗
- Life and work — applied to Artist’s style, palette preferences, and compositional habits
Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- Oil painting — applied to General materials and fat-over-lean rule
Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.
tips & new artworks in your inbox
no spam — unsubscribe anytime.
or to save artworks, chat, and track progress
related guides
