plate no. 3149

Time of the Old Women

oil, canvasRomanticismgenre paintingfigureswomendeathbroombooksatire

recreation guide

Time of the Old Women (1820) is a work by Francisco Goya, a Spanish Romantic painter often described as the 'last of the Old Masters and the first of the moderns' (Source 6). Created in the final decade of his life, this piece belongs to the genre of genre painting, which depicts aspects of everyday life and ordinary people engaged in common activities, distinguishing it from history paintings or formal portraits (Source 2). Goya’s later work, following a severe illness in 1793 that left him deaf, became progressively darker and more pessimistic, reflecting a bleak outlook on personal and social levels (Source 6). This painting utilizes oil on canvas, a medium that offers greater flexibility, richer color, and the ability to build layers, allowing for a wide range from light to dark (Source 3).

estimated time

20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions

materials

5 items

steps

6 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil-based canvas	Primary support for the painting	Pre-primed linen or cotton canvas
Linseed oil or walnut oil	Binder for pigments; provides flexibility and rich color	Refined linseed oil
Turpentine	Thinner for paint and cleaner for brushes	Odorless mineral spirits or pure gum turpentine
Oil paints (Earth tones, Umbers, Ochres, Whites)	Pigments for the composition	Standard tube oil paints
Resin (e.g., pine resin or frankincense)	Optional: to create varnish for protection and texture	Dammar or mastic resin varnish

preparation

surface prep

The artwork is executed on canvas (Source 3). While specific priming recipes for this exact 1820 work are not detailed in the sources, Goya’s practice as a court painter and his use of oil painting techniques suggest a standard preparation involving a ground layer to receive the oil binder. The oil medium allows for the paint to be molded into different textures depending on its plasticity (Source 4).

underdrawing

The sources do not provide specific details on Goya’s underdrawing methods for this particular piece. However, as a genre painting depicting everyday life, the composition likely relies on capturing the 'reality effect' of quotidian life rather than strict historical accuracy (Source 7). Goya’s later style was characterized by a darker, more expressive approach, which may imply a looser, more direct application of paint rather than rigid preliminary sketches.

underpainting

Oil painting techniques involve the use of layers (Source 3). Goya’s later works are noted for their darker tone and pessimistic outlook (Source 6). It is likely that an underpainting in earth tones or grisaille was used to establish values before applying color, consistent with the 'wider range from light to dark' advantage of oil (Source 3).

color palette

Dark Earth Tones

Umber, Burnt Sienna, Black

General use in this artist's later palette, reflecting his darker, pessimistic outlook (Source 6)

Light/Highlight Tones

Lead White or Titanium White mixed with Ochre

Modifications of light on the model, as per color theory principles (Source 1)

Complementary Accents

Varied depending on local color

Harmonizing colors based on simultaneous contrast (Source 1)

composition

As a genre painting, the work depicts ordinary people in common activities, with figures to whom no specific identity is attached (Source 2). The composition likely aims for a 'reality effect' rather than strict realism, potentially conveying a moralistic or social message consistent with Goya’s critical view of society (Source 7, Source 6). Specific spatial arrangements are not described in the sources, so the artist should focus on the interaction of figures in a domestic or everyday setting.

step by step

underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing→varnishing

underdrawing

step 01
Sketch the composition lightly, focusing on the figures engaged in everyday activities.
Tip — Ensure figures are generic rather than specific portraits, consistent with genre painting definitions (Source 2).
Genre composition

underpainting

step 02
Apply a thin layer of oil paint to establish values and tones.
Tip — Use the flexibility of oil to build depth (Source 3).
Layering

first pass

step 03
Apply local colors, paying attention to how contiguous colors affect each other.
Tip — Be aware that colors may appear different due to the influence of neighboring hues (Source 1).
Simultaneous Contrast

refining

step 04
Refine details and adjust tones, considering the 'mixed contrast' effect on the eye.
Tip — Avoid staring at one color for too long to prevent seeing its complementary afterimage, which can distort perception (Source 1).
Mixed Contrast

finishing

step 05
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the range from light to dark.
Tip — Utilize the oil medium's capacity for rich, dense color (Source 3).
Value Range

varnishing

step 06
Apply a resin-based varnish for protection and texture.
Tip — Boil oil with resin like pine resin or frankincense to create a protective layer (Source 4).
Varnishing

critical techniques

Simultaneous Contrast

Understanding that two colored objects viewed together will appear modified by the complementary color of the other, allowing the painter to perceive and imitate subtle modifications of light and color (Source 1).

Mixed Contrast

Awareness that the eye, after observing one color, tends to see its complementary, which can lead to inaccurate color perception if not managed (Source 1).

Layering

Using the oil medium's ability to build layers for richer color and flexibility (Source 3).

common pitfalls

→Misjudging colors due to simultaneous contrast, where the eye perceives a tint resulting from the peculiar color and the complementary of the adjacent object (Source 1).
→Allowing eye fatigue to distort perception of subtle color modifications, leading to inaccurate imitation of the model (Source 1).
→Over-flattering the subjects; Goya was known for his disinclination to flatter, even in portraits, and his later works were darker and more critical (Source 5, Source 6).

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 'Time of the Old Women' such as exact clothing patterns, facial expressions, or room layout are not described in the provided sources.
·Goya’s specific underdrawing or underpainting technique for this 1820 work is not detailed in the sources.
·The exact pigment palette used by Goya for this specific painting is not listed, only general oil painting materials.

grounded in

The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.

Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 315-318 — applied to Color theory, simultaneous and mixed contrast techniques

cross-referenced from

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

Wikipedia: Genre painting↗
- part 1 — applied to Definition of genre painting and subject matter
Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- part 1 — applied to Materials, layering, and advantages of oil medium
Wikipedia bio — Francisco Goya↗
- part 1 & 5 — applied to Artist’s style, later period darkness, and court painter context
Wikipedia: Dutch Golden Age painting↗
- part 11 — applied to Genre painting characteristics and 'reality effect'