plate no. 4252

Versailles. Fountain of Bacchus in the winter

Alexandre Benois, 1905

gouache, watercolor, paperPost-Impressionismlandscapetreesfountainstatuewaterparkreflection

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and rendering reflections in water. It also provides practice in capturing the delicate details of bare trees and architectural elements.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic composition, including the fountain, trees, and horizon line.
step 02
Apply a thin wash of diluted brown and grey watercolor to establish the overall tonal values of the sky and background.
step 03
Paint the trees, starting with the trunks and gradually adding branches, using a fine brush and varying the pressure to create different line thicknesses.
step 04
Add the green highlights to the tree trunks to indicate light.
step 05
Paint the fountain and statue, paying attention to the details and shadows.
step 06
Create the water reflections by using vertical strokes of varying tones, mirroring the shapes above.
step 07
Add the horizontal plane behind the fountain, using a light wash of white and grey.
step 08
Refine the details and add final touches to enhance the overall atmosphere.

color palette

primary · raw umber · titanium white · payne's gray

secondary · sap green · yellow ochre

Mix raw umber and white for the tree trunks and branches. Use Payne's gray with white for the sky and water reflections. Add a touch of yellow ochre to the raw umber for warmer tones in the statue.

techniques