plate no. 5914
Two capitals and a column base, remnants of ancient buildings in the town of Cora
recreation guide
This artwork, titled 'Two capitals and a column base, remnants of ancient buildings in the town of Cora,' is attributed to Giovanni Battista Piranesi. While Piranesi is historically renowned for his etchings and engravings of Roman ruins, this specific entry lists the medium as oil, suggesting a rare or hypothetical oil study consistent with his Neoclassical interests. Piranesi’s work was deeply influenced by the rediscovery of Herculaneum and Pompeii, and he held a distinct view that Roman architecture improved upon Greek models, a stance he defended against followers of Winckelmann (Source 3). His artistic approach is characterized by a 'free relationship to the past,' summarized by his mantra 'col sporcar si trova' ('by messing about, one discovers'), indicating an experimental and iterative process rather than rigid adherence to static antiquity (Source 3). The work likely reflects his appreciation for both the engineering of ancient buildings and the poetic aspects of ruins, potentially incorporating manipulated scale and dramatic lighting to create a striking effect, even if the specific visual details of this oil painting are not explicitly described in the provided texts (Source 7).
estimated time
20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions
materials
6 items
steps
5 in sequence
materials
| item | purpose | modern equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Oil of copavia | Medium for the first and second paintings, as cited in Sir Joshua Reynolds' method which reflects the practice of old masters relevant to this period. | Stand oil or linseed oil |
| Black pigment | Used in the initial grisaille/monochrome underpainting stages. | Ivory black or Mars black |
| Ultramarine pigment | Used in the initial monochrome underpainting stages to establish value and cool tones. | Ultramarine blue |
| White pigment | Used in the initial monochrome underpainting stages for highlights and value structure. | Titanium white or Lead white (historical) |
| Red and Yellow pigments | Reserved for glazing and scumbling stages to introduce color warmth and transparency. | Alizarin crimson, Cadmium yellow, or transparent oxides |
| Varnish | Mixed with oil for later glazing stages to increase transparency and flow. | Dammar varnish or synthetic resin varnish |
preparation
surface prep
The surface should be prepared to accept a monochrome underpainting. While specific canvas preparation for this exact oil work is not detailed, the technique described involves a 'grisaille' (monochrome) base. The artist should ensure the ground is smooth enough to allow for the 'transparent coat of colour' (glazing) and 'semi-opaque painting' (scumbling) described in the sources. The ground should be neutral or slightly warm to allow the subsequent glazes to interact effectively with the underlying values (Source 1).
underdrawing
Contour drawing techniques are recommended to establish the mass and volume of the capitals and column base. The focus should be on the outlined shape and three-dimensional perspective, emphasizing length, width, thickness, and depth rather than minor surface details initially (Source 2). This aligns with Piranesi’s interest in the structural engineering and 'mass' of ancient ruins (Source 7). The drawing should capture the 'silhouette' and 'form, weight, mass, space, and distance' of the architectural remnants (Source 2).
underpainting
The underpainting should be executed as a grisaille (monochrome) using black, ultramarine, and white, mixed with oil of copavia as a medium (Source 1). This stage involves 'mentally extracting the red and yellow colours' to translate what would be left in nature if those colors were absent, establishing the value structure without chromatic interference (Source 1). This method is consistent with the practices of old masters and allows for a clear separation of value and color phases (Source 1).
color palette
Monochrome Grey/Blue-Grey
Black, Ultramarine, White
Underpainting (grisaille) to establish values and forms.
Warm Earth Tones (Red/Yellow)
Transparent reds and yellows
Glazing and scumbling to introduce color warmth and depth, mimicking the effect of tinting an engraving.
composition
While specific compositional details of this oil painting are not provided, Piranesi’s general practice involved creating a 'center of interest' and using 'broad and scientific distribution of light and shade' to complete the picture (Source 7). The composition should avoid exact bisections and ensure the horizon line emphasizes either the sky or ground appropriately for a landscape/cityscape (Source 6). The arrangement of the capitals and column base should likely reflect Piranesi’s tendency to manipulate scale and create a 'striking effect from the whole view' (Source 7). The viewer's eye should be led around the elements before leading out of the picture, with detailed areas contrasted against 'rest' areas (Source 6).
step by step
underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing
underdrawing
step 01
Sketch the contours of the capitals and column base, focusing on mass, volume, and three-dimensional perspective rather than fine detail.
Tip — Use continuous lines to capture the silhouette and form; vary line weight to suggest depth and distance.
Contour drawing
underpainting
step 02
Apply a monochrome grisaille using black, ultramarine, and white mixed with oil of copavia. Establish all values and forms as if red and yellow colors were absent.
Tip — Ensure this layer is completely dry before proceeding. This step mentally extracts warm colors to focus on structure.
Grisaille underpainting
first pass
step 03
Begin glazing with transparent coats of red and yellow tones over the dry grisaille. Apply these colors much like tinting an engraving with watercolors.
Tip — Glazing is a transparent coat of color; it allows the underlying painting to show through, creating depth.
Glazing
refining
step 04
Use scumbling (semi-opaque painting) to adjust tones and create effects like a 'grey bloom' over darker grounds. Mix varnish and oil for better flow and transparency.
Tip — Scumbling tends to coldness over darker grounds; use it to create atmospheric effects and texture.
Scumbling
finishing
step 05
Refine the distribution of light and shade to create a striking effect, consistent with Piranesi’s dramatic lighting in his prints.
Tip — Ensure the lighting enhances the 'poetic aspects of the ruins' and the structural mass.
Chiaroscuro/Lighting
critical techniques
Glazing and Scumbling
Glazing involves applying transparent coats of color over a dry monochrome underpainting. Scumbling involves semi-opaque painting that allows the underlying layer to show through. These techniques were widely practiced by old masters and allow for rich color depth and atmospheric effects.
Grisaille Underpainting
Establishing the entire composition in monochrome (black, ultramarine, white) before introducing color. This separates value structure from color application, allowing for greater control and luminosity.
Contour Drawing
Using line to define the mass, volume, and three-dimensional form of the architectural elements, focusing on silhouette and spatial relationships rather than surface detail.
common pitfalls
- →Applying color before the grisaille is completely dry, which can muddy the underpainting and prevent proper glazing effects (Source 1).
- →Focusing too much on minor details in the underdrawing, which contradicts the purpose of contour drawing to emphasize mass and volume (Source 2).
- →Using opaque color application instead of glazing/scumbling, which may result in a flat appearance lacking the depth characteristic of old master techniques (Source 1).
- →Ignoring the 'scientific distribution of light and shade,' which is crucial for Piranesi’s dramatic effect (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.
- ·The specific visual details of the capitals and column base (e.g., Corinthian vs. Ionic, exact damage patterns) are not described in the sources, so the artist must rely on general knowledge of Roman architecture or Piranesi’s other works.
- ·The exact color palette for this specific oil painting is not provided; the guide assumes a traditional old master palette based on the technique description.
- ·Piranesi’s specific oil painting techniques are not well-documented in the provided sources, which focus more on his printmaking; the guide infers oil techniques from general old master practices cited in Source 1.
- ·The scale and composition of this specific work are not detailed, so the artist must make compositional choices based on general principles and Piranesi’s stylistic tendencies.
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, glazing, scumbling, and material selection (oil of copavia, black, ultramarine, white).
cross-referenced from
Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.
Wikipedia: Contour drawing↗
- Contour drawing — part 1 — applied to Underdrawing technique, focusing on mass, volume, and silhouette.
Wikipedia bio — Giovanni Battista Piranesi↗
- part 4 — applied to Artist’s philosophical approach to ruins, Neoclassicism, and experimental method ('col sporcar si trova').
- part 3 — applied to Lighting, dramatic effect, and poetic interpretation of ruins.
Wikipedia: Composition (visual arts)↗
- Composition (visual arts) — part 6 — applied to General compositional principles, center of interest, and horizon line placement.
Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.
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