plate no. 6530
The Port of Collioure
Zinaida Serebriakova, 1930
recreation guide
Zinaida Serebriakova’s *The Port of Collioure* (1930) represents a shift in her oeuvre toward landscape and cityscape, distinct from her earlier fame for portraiture and rural Russian scenes (Source 3). Created during her period of exile in France, this work reflects her exposure to the Mediterranean light and her travels to North Africa, which influenced her later landscapes with a focus on beauty in nature (Source 6). While Serebriakova is often associated with the Mir iskusstva group and a refined, classical linearity (Source 2), this specific work is categorized under Expressionism, suggesting a departure from strict realism toward a more emotive rendering of the port’s atmosphere. The painting likely utilizes her documented ability to capture the 'salient feature' of her own personality—her love of beauty—through the medium of oil, avoiding the 'meretricious attempt to deceive the eye' in favor of expressive symbols (Source 5).
estimated time
20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions
materials
4 items
steps
5 in sequence
materials
| item | purpose | modern equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Oil paints (Ultramarine, White, Black, Yellow Ochre, Vermilion/Red Lead) | Primary pigments for the grisaille underpainting and subsequent glazing/scumbling layers. | High-quality artist-grade oils; Ultramarine Blue, Titanium White, Ivory Black, Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Red or Vermilion. |
| Oil of Copavia (or modern equivalent medium) | Medium for the first and second paintings to ensure transparency and flow, as recommended by Reynolds for glazing techniques. | Linarium oil, walnut oil, or a mixture of linseed oil and odorless mineral spirits. |
| Canvas or Panel | Support for the oil painting. | Linen canvas primed with gesso or oil ground. |
| Charcoal or Pencil | For initial contour drawing and underdrawing, consistent with Serebriakova’s practice during difficult periods when oil was scarce, though here used for preparatory sketching. | Vine charcoal or graphite pencils. |
preparation
surface prep
Prepare a rigid support (panel or stretched canvas) with a white or light-toned ground. Serebriakova’s training in the Mir iskusstva tradition and her study under Repin and Braz suggest a respect for classical preparation (Source 2). The surface should be smooth enough to allow for the fine linear quality characteristic of her style, but textured enough to hold the glazes. If following the Reynolds method cited in Source 1, the ground should be neutral to allow the grisaille to establish value structure without color interference.
underdrawing
Begin with a contour drawing using charcoal or thin oil wash. Serebriakova’s background in drawing and her later reliance on charcoal due to economic constraints (Source 3) indicate a strong foundation in line. Use contour lines to establish the mass and volume of the port structures, ships, and water, focusing on the outline and form rather than minor details (Source 8). The drawing should emphasize the 'mass and volume' of the subject, using line weight to suggest depth and distance (Source 8).
underpainting
Execute a grisaille (monochrome underpainting) using black, ultramarine, and white mixed with oil of copavia (Source 1). This step involves 'mentally extracting the red and yellow colours' to establish the tonal structure of the scene (Source 1). This monochrome layer should be allowed to dry completely before proceeding. This technique aligns with the 'old masters' practice referenced in Source 1 and provides a stable foundation for the subsequent color layers.
color palette
Ultramarine/Blue-Grey
Ultramarine, White, Black
Establishing the cool tones of the water, sky, and shadows in the grisaille and subsequent glazes.
Yellow Ochre/Red Ochre
Yellow Ochre, Vermilion, White
Glazing and scumbling to introduce warmth to the sunlit areas of the port, buildings, and boats, as per the instruction to add 'yellow and red tones' after the grisaille (Source 1).
White
Lead White or Titanium White
Highlights and mixing with other colors to adjust tone and opacity.
Black
Ivory Black or Lamp Black
Deep shadows and defining contours in the grisaille.
composition
While specific compositional details of *The Port of Collioure* are not described in the sources, Serebriakova’s general practice involved a careful arrangement of forms. Her work in the Mir iskusstva group suggests an attention to decorative harmony and balance (Source 2). The composition likely emphasizes the interplay between the built environment of the port and the natural elements of the sea and sky. The artist’s tendency to focus on 'beauty in nature' (Source 6) implies a composition that highlights the aesthetic qualities of the light and color rather than strict documentary accuracy.
step by step
underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing
underdrawing
step 01
Sketch the main forms of the port, including buildings, masts, and water lines, using charcoal or thin oil. Focus on contour and mass, avoiding excessive detail.
Tip — Ensure the lines convey volume and space, not just outlines (Source 8).
Contour Drawing
underpainting
step 02
Apply a grisaille layer using black, ultramarine, and white mixed with oil of copavia. Establish the full range of values from dark shadows to bright highlights, mentally excluding red and yellow hues.
Tip — This layer must be completely dry before proceeding to avoid muddying the colors (Source 1).
Grisaille
first pass
step 03
Begin glazing and scumbling with yellow and red tones. Apply transparent coats of color (glazing) over the dry grisaille to tint the engraving-like underpainting.
Tip — Use oil of copavia as a medium for these initial color layers (Source 1).
Glazing
refining
step 04
Use scumbling (semi-opaque painting) to adjust tones and create effects like a 'grey bloom' over darker grounds. Pay attention to simultaneous contrast, where adjacent colors influence each other’s appearance.
Tip — Be aware that juxtaposing colors can heighten or enfeeble tones, creating a true gradation of light (Source 4).
Scumbling
finishing
step 05
Refine the color relationships, ensuring that the 'inherent' colors of the port (water, stone, wood) are harmonized with the chosen atmospheric effects. Adjust for mixed contrast effects caused by prolonged viewing of specific hues.
Tip — Check for color fatigue; the eye may see complementary colors after focusing on one hue (Source 7).
Color Harmonization
critical techniques
Glazing and Scumbling
Used to build up color transparency and texture over a monochrome underpainting. Glazing adds transparent color, while scumbling adds semi-opaque layers that interact with the underlying tones.
Simultaneous Contrast
Understanding how adjacent colors affect each other’s perceived tone and hue. This is crucial for harmonizing the composition and achieving realistic light effects.
Contour Drawing
Used in the initial stage to establish form and volume without getting lost in detail, providing a strong structural foundation for the painting.
common pitfalls
- →Applying color before the grisaille is completely dry, which can lead to muddied colors and loss of transparency (Source 1).
- →Ignoring the effects of simultaneous contrast, resulting in colors that appear dull or unbalanced due to the influence of adjacent hues (Source 4).
- →Overworking the painting to achieve photographic realism, which contradicts the expressive nature of the medium and the artist’s intent to create 'painted symbols' rather than mere deception (Source 5).
- →Failing to account for mixed contrast, where the eye’s tendency to see complementary colors after prolonged viewing can lead to inaccurate color mixing (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 of Collioure* (e.g., exact arrangement of boats, buildings, or figures) are not described in the sources, so the composition must be inferred from general knowledge of port scenes or the artist’s other works.
- ·The exact palette used by Serebriakova for this specific painting is not documented in the sources, so the suggested pigments are based on general practices of the period and the Reynolds method cited.
- ·The specific expressive techniques used to convey the 'Expressionist' style in this work are not detailed in the sources, which focus more on her classical training and later landscapes.
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 (grisaille), glazing, and scumbling techniques.
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 6. Put beside each other two flat tints... — applied to Color contrast and harmonization techniques.
The Practice and Science of Drawing↗
- XX MATERIALS — applied to Philosophy of using oil paint as an expressive medium rather than a deceptive one.
cross-referenced from
Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.
Wikipedia bio — Zinaida Serebriakova↗
- part 1 & part 2 — applied to Artist’s background, training, and general style.
Wikipedia: Contour drawing↗
- Contour drawing — part 1 — applied to Underdrawing technique.
Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.
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