plate no. 5155

The Riot or Scene of Revolution, or Destruction of Sodome

oilRealismgenre paintingfigurescrowdbuildingskycityscaperevolution

what to study here

It shows how a crowd scene can be organized with a tight earth palette, one bright light opening, and edge control rather than drawn detail.

Study how the value structure carries the whole picture. The vision read describes three parts: dark frame, light crowd, bright sky. The deepest darks sit at the left and right edges and in the upper sky areas. A pale yellowish-white opening between dark buildings in the center background is the brightest passage, and the eye goes there first. From there it moves down and right to a raised structure where one figure gestures outward. In the foreground, nude and partly draped bodies overlap in warm ochre and cream against deep shadow. Distant figures fade into obscurity. Note where the edges are hard: only where bright sky meets the dark building silhouettes. Inside the crowd, edges are soft, lost, and blended, and strokes follow the direction of limbs and drapery. The palette is narrow: yellow ochre, raw umber, ivory black, and white. Copy the value plan in a small thumbnail first, then see how much of the crowd you can build with modulation alone, not outline.

key decision

The painter reserved crisp edges for the boundary between the bright sky opening and the dark building silhouettes, and let the figures dissolve into soft, lost edges. This keeps the light source dominant while the crowd reads as one mass.

recreation guide

Honoré Daumier’s *The Riot or Scene of Revolution, or Destruction of Sodome* is a work rooted in his identity as a serious painter loosely associated with Realism, yet distinctively blending the critical viewpoint of a caricaturist with the formal weight of fine art (Source 2). Daumier did not identify strictly as a realist in the ideological sense of Courbet, but rather treated realism as a 'second nature' derived from his life and observation, often exploring subjects with a 'searching truthfulness' and 'powerful directness' (Source 4). This painting likely reflects his habit of painting the same subject repetitively—sometimes up to 20 times—to exhaust the theme, suggesting a process of iterative refinement rather than a single spontaneous gesture (Source 4). The work stands as a testament to his transition from the grind of political lithography to a more mature, painterly practice developed during his summers in Barbizon and Valmondois, where he deepened ties with the Barbizon School (Source 3).

estimated time

20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions

materials

5 items

steps

4 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints (traditional pigments)	Primary medium for the painting	High-quality tube oils; historically, Daumier would have used pigments ground with linseed or walnut oil
Linseed oil or Walnut oil	Agglutinative for grinding colors and medium for application	Refined linseed oil or walnut oil
Canvas or Panel	Support surface	Linen canvas primed with oil ground
Earth pigments (Ochres, Umbers)	Daumier’s palette likely relied on substantial, fixed earths for broken tones and covering power	Yellow Ochre, Raw Umber, Burnt Sienna
White Lead or Titanium White	Highlights and mixing; historically white lead was standard	Titanium White (for safety) or Flake White (for historical accuracy)

preparation

surface prep

Daumier worked in oil, a medium requiring a sound craftsman’s knowledge of its capacities (Source 1). While specific priming recipes for this exact work are not detailed in the sources, the general practice of the period and Daumier’s association with the Barbizon school suggests a traditional oil ground on canvas. The artist must ensure the surface is prepared to accept the 'vital qualities' of the oil medium without losing the 'painted symbols' nature of the work (Source 7).

underdrawing

Daumier’s background in lithography and caricature suggests a strong initial design phase, but sources do not explicitly describe his underdrawing technique for oil paintings. However, as a 'sound craftsman' (Source 1), he likely established the composition firmly before applying paint. Given his habit of revisiting subjects repeatedly (Source 4), the underdrawing may have been loose or adjusted during the first pass to allow for the 'directness' of his vision (Source 4).

underpainting

No specific underpainting technique (such as grisaille or verdaccio) is cited for Daumier in the provided sources. However, the general advice for oil painting emphasizes the importance of the medium’s capacity (Source 1). It is likely he worked directly in oil or used a thin initial layer to establish values, consistent with the 'broad masses' approach suggested for artists who need to avoid being 'too much tied down to outline' (Source 1).

color palette

Earth Tones (Ochres, Umbers)

Natural and burnt ochres, brown earths

General use in this artist's palette; sources note the utility of earths for 'broken tones' and their 'perfect fixedness' and 'covering well' (Source 6)

White

White lead (historical) or chalk white

Highlights and mixing; historically one of the four primary colors used by ancient artists and retained in traditional palettes (Source 6)

Black

Ivory black or grapestone black

Shadows and contrast; listed as a standard coloring substance in traditional palettes (Source 6)

Reds

Red ochre, cinnabar, or red lac

Accents and flesh tones; red ochre is noted as a fundamental color (Source 6)

composition

Daumier’s compositions are characterized by a 'powerful directness' and a critical viewpoint on class distinctions (Source 4). While specific compositional elements of *The Riot* are not described in the sources, his general practice involved organizing visual elements to convey social commentary. The composition likely avoids 'meretricious' attempts to deceive the eye, instead focusing on the 'vital expression of nature' and the emotional idea prompting the work (Source 7). The arrangement of figures would serve to highlight the 'uncouthness' or raw reality of the scene, consistent with his Romantic temperament and Realist approach (Source 4).

step by step

underdrawing→first pass→refining→finishing

underdrawing

step 01
Sketch the composition lightly, focusing on the broad masses and dynamic movement of the figures. Avoid getting 'too much tied down to outline' (Source 1).
Tip — Ensure the design supports the 'searching truthfulness' of the vision (Source 4).
Loose underdrawing

first pass

step 02
Apply paint in broad masses, using earth tones and whites to establish values. Daumier’s style suggests a direct application rather than excessive modeling (Source 1).
Tip — Check for 'smallness' or over-detailing; Daumier’s work is noted for its directness, not fine finish in the academic sense (Source 1, Source 4).
Alla prima or direct painting

refining

step 03
Refine the forms and expressions, emphasizing the 'uncouthness' and social critique inherent in the subject. Daumier often painted subjects repetitively to exhaust the theme, so adjust until the emotional idea is fully expressed (Source 4).
Tip — Maintain the 'vitality possessed by the medium' (Source 7). Do not let the paint become a 'substitute for nature' but an expression of feeling (Source 7).
Iterative refinement

finishing

step 04
Final adjustments to contrast and color intensity. Ensure the work retains the 'painted symbols' quality, reminding the viewer it is a painting (Source 7).
Tip — Avoid 'over-modeling' which can lead to timidity (Source 1).
Glazing or scumbling (if needed for depth)

critical techniques

Broad Masses

Daumier’s work is characterized by a lack of 'smallness' and a focus on direct expression. The artist should deal with broad masses rather than getting lost in fine detail (Source 1).

Iterative Exploration

Daumier often painted the same subject up to 20 times to exhaust the theme. This suggests a process of repeated study and refinement rather than a single execution (Source 4).

Use of Earth Pigments

The use of earths, ochres, and marls provides 'broken tones' and 'covering well,' which are essential for the substantial quality of the painting (Source 6).

common pitfalls

→Over-modeling or being 'too much tied down to outline,' which leads to timidity and a lack of vitality (Source 1).
→Attempting to create a 'meretricious attempt to deceive the eye' rather than expressing the 'vital qualities' of the oil medium (Source 7).
→Focusing on 'smallness' or excessive finish, which contradicts Daumier’s direct and powerful style (Source 1, Source 4).
→Ignoring the 'social and political' commentary inherent in the subject, which is central to Daumier’s practice (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 Riot or Scene of Revolution, or Destruction of Sodome* (e.g., exact figure poses, background elements) are not described in the sources.
·Daumier’s specific underpainting or priming recipes for this work are not documented in the provided passages.
·The exact date of the painting is not available, making it difficult to pinpoint the precise stage of his stylistic evolution.

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 Advice on avoiding over-modeling and dealing with broad masses (Source 1)
The Science of Painting↗
- CHAPTER V. COLOURING SUBSTANCES — applied to Use of earth pigments and traditional palette (Source 6)
The Practice and Science of Drawing↗
- XX MATERIALS — applied to Importance of medium vitality and avoiding mere deception (Source 7)

cross-referenced from

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

Wikipedia bio — Honore Daumier↗
- part 1 — applied to Context of Daumier’s social commentary and realist association (Source 2)
- part 4 — applied to Daumier’s iterative process and relationship with realism (Source 4)

Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.

read from the painting

observed from the image, not the label

6 dominant colors, measured

what the eye sees

A turbulent crowd scene erupts in the lower portion, with nude and partially draped figures in violent, contorted poses suggesting chaos and destruction. Light pours through the center background, creating a pale yellowish-white opening between dark silhouetted buildings that frame both sides. The eye moves first to this bright breach in the architecture, then reads downward and rightward to a raised structure on the right edge where a figure gestures emphatically outward, anchoring the composition's emotional apex. The foreground crowd is densely packed with overlapping bodies in warm ochre and cream tones against deep shadow, while the distant figures recede into obscurity.

value structure

The deepest darks anchor the left and right edges and the upper sky areas, creating a frame. Lighter mids dominate the foreground bodies and ground. The brightest value concentrates in the sky opening and on the most illuminated flesh—a clear three-part value structure: dark frame, light crowd, bright sky. When you squint, you should see a bright passage cutting horizontally through the center, not a scattered pattern of light.

observed palette and mixes

#d4b96f
yellow ochre with titanium white
sky breakthrough in center and brightest flesh highlights
#b59b5e
yellow ochre with light ochre
mid-tone illuminated bodies and some architectural surfaces
#8e7a4d
yellow ochre with raw umber
shadow sides of figures and mid-tone building walls
#493e2c
raw umber with ivory black
deep shadows within the crowd and building contours
#1e1a17
ivory black with raw umber
silhouette edges of buildings and darkest accents in folds and crevices

edges and brushwork

Brushwork is loose and directional, with visible gestural marks suggesting movement through the crowd. Hard edges appear only where bright sky meets dark building silhouettes; everywhere else—particularly within the figures—edges are soft, lost, and blended. Strokes follow the flow of limbs and drapery, building form through value modulation rather than precise outline. The painting's energy comes from this sketchy, expressive handling rather than detailed finish.

a working sequence

01
Tonal Underpainting
Using ivory black and raw umber, block in all major value zones. The left and right building masses should be very dark silhouettes. The sky opening in the center stays light. The ground and crowd are medium-dark overall. Work thin and fast—this is structure, not detail. Let the underlying tone show through later layers.
02
Sky and Light Source
Paint the sky breakthrough with yellow ochre, white, and a touch of raw umber. Keep it concentrated in the upper-center, paling toward cream-white at its brightest. Let this light glow diffuse slightly downward, suggesting atmospheric perspective. The sky should be the most luminous region in the painting.
03
Building Silhouettes
Strengthen the dark edges of the buildings against the sky. Use ivory black and raw umber to sharpen the boundary between architecture and light. These are the hardest edges in the painting—reserve your most crisp work for the building profiles. Leave the right structure's edges slightly softer where figures overlap.
04
Crowd Mass and Ground
Lay in the foreground figures as overlapping warm tan and ochre shapes. Don't draw individual bodies yet—treat them as a collective mass using yellow ochre, ochre, and white. Note the right side has more defined, brighter forms; the left and center crowd recedes into darker tones. Build rhythmic overlaps that guide the eye back toward the center.
05
Flesh Tones and Illumination
Add highlight strokes to the most exposed bodies, especially in the foreground right and center. Use yellow ochre with white for lit surfaces, raw umber for shadow sides. Work quickly with directional strokes that suggest musculature without rendering anatomy. The figure gesturing from the raised structure on the right should have the most prominent, brightest flesh to anchor compositional focus.
06
Shadow Modeling and Depth
Deepen shadows within and between figures using raw umber and ivory black. Create soft, lost edges where bodies merge into shadow. The deeper you go into the crowd toward the center and left, the darker and less defined forms become. Preserve some light-struck edges to maintain figure legibility, but let many figures fade into ambiguity.
07
Drapery and Fabric
Add suggested drapery folds using dark umber and black in shadow areas. Keep these loose and gestural—one or two dark strokes in the right direction convey fabric better than detailed rendering. Focus on drapery on the right structure and around the central figures; background figures need little more than value shifts.
08
Final Accents and Refinement
Add final crisp blacks and bright white accents where the light is strongest or where silhouettes need definition. Refine the sky-building edge to be sharp and convincing. Step back frequently—at distance, the painting should read as unified chaos with a clear light source, not as individual finished figures.

where studies of this painting go wrong

Rendering figures as anatomically correct individuals instead of gestural forms suggested by value and pose. The power is in the crowd's collective energy, not in perfect anatomy.
Creating too-hard edges throughout the composition. Only the sky-building boundary should be truly crisp; let the crowd blur and fuse into itself.
Losing the dominant light structure by spreading light values all over the painting. The sky opening must read as the primary light source—everything else is secondary.
Overworking the brushwork into a smooth finish. The visible gestural strokes are essential to conveying movement and urgency; too much blending flattens the emotional impact.
Making all the figures the same value or tone. Foreground bodies must be lighter and warmer; background figures must recede into dark and desaturated tones.

measured difficulty