plate no. 9578

Vice-admiral Sir Andrew Mitchell

oilRococoportraitportraitfiguremilitary uniformhistoricalmaleclothing

recreation guide

This artwork is a portrait of Vice-admiral Sir Andrew Mitchell by Lemuel Francis Abbott, an English painter active in the late 18th and early 19th centuries who specialized in depicting naval officers and literary figures (Source 4). While the specific visual details of this particular painting are not described in the provided sources, Abbott’s practice was characterized by a strong emphasis on likeness, as evidenced by the high praise his portrait of Horatio Nelson received for its accuracy (Source 4). The work belongs to the genre of portrait painting, which historically served to memorialize the rich and powerful, aiming for a recognizable record of the sitter’s appearance (Source 2).

estimated time

20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions

materials

6 items

steps

6 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints (pigment + drying oil)	Primary medium for the painting	Tube oil paints mixed with linseed or walnut oil
Linseed oil or Oil of Copavia	Medium to manipulate paint characteristics and drying time	Stand oil or refined linseed oil
Lead White (historical) or Titanium/Zinc White (modern)	Dominant white pigment for opacity and fast drying	Titanium White
Ultramarine and Black	Key colors for the initial grisaille/underpainting stages	Ultramarine Blue and Mars Black
Varnish	Mixed with oil for glazing and scumbling in later stages	Dammar varnish or modern painting medium
Canvas or Linen support	Surface for oil painting	Primed linen canvas

preparation

surface prep

Prepare a linen or canvas support, as linen was a common support for oil painting derived from the flax plant (Source 3). The surface should be primed to accept oil paints. While specific ground preparation for Abbott is not detailed, the general practice of the period involved preparing a surface suitable for the layering techniques described, such as grisaille underpainting.

underdrawing

The sources do not explicitly describe Abbott’s underdrawing methods. However, given the emphasis on likeness in portrait painting (Source 2), a careful preliminary drawing would be essential to establish the correct proportions and features of the sitter. The artist likely used a charcoal or chalk sketch to map out the composition before applying paint.

underpainting

The technique likely involves a grisaille (monochrome) underpainting. Sir Joshua Reynolds, a contemporary and influential figure, described a method where the first and second paintings are done with oil of copavia using black, ultramarine, and white (Source 1). This monochrome layer establishes the values and forms before color is introduced. The artist should mentally extract red and yellow colors, translating what would be left in nature if these two colors were not present (Source 1).

color palette

Black

Bone Black or Ivory Black

Underpainting and shadows in the grisaille stage

Ultramarine

Natural Ultramarine

Underpainting and cool tones in the grisaille stage

White

Lead White (historical) or Titanium White

Highlights and mixing in the underpainting; valued for opacity and fast drying

Red and Yellow tones

Vermilion, Red Lake, Yellow Ochre, Lead-Tin Yellow

Glazing and scumbling over the dry grisaille to add warmth and flesh tones

composition

The composition likely follows the conventions of late 18th-century portraiture, focusing on the sitter’s likeness and status. While specific compositional elements of this painting are not described, Abbott’s portraits of naval officers like Horatio Nelson and Admiral Sir Robert Calder suggest a formal, dignified presentation (Source 4). The arrangement would aim to highlight the sitter’s features and attire, consistent with the genre’s intent to create a recognizable record (Source 2).

step by step

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

underdrawing

step 01
Sketch the sitter’s pose and features on the prepared surface, ensuring accurate proportions for likeness.
Tip — Focus on capturing the essential likeness, as this was a key goal of portrait painting (Source 2).
Preliminary drawing

underpainting

step 02
Apply a monochrome layer (grisaille) using black, ultramarine, and white mixed with oil of copavia or linseed oil.
Tip — Mentally exclude red and yellow colors, focusing on values and forms as if these colors were absent (Source 1).
Grisaille

first pass

step 03
Allow the grisaille to dry completely before proceeding.
Tip — Ensure the underpainting is fully dry to prevent mixing with subsequent glazes.
Drying

refining

step 04
Glaze and scumble with red and yellow tones over the dry grisaille, using oil or a mix of varnish and oil.
Tip — Glazing applies a transparent coat of color, while scumbling is semi-opaque, allowing the underlying painting to show through (Source 1).
Glazing and Scumbling

finishing

step 05
Refine details and adjust colors to achieve the desired likeness and harmony.
Tip — Aim for a likeness that is recognizable to those who have seen the sitter (Source 2).
Detailing

varnishing

step 06
Apply a final varnish to protect the painting and enhance color depth.
Tip — Use a varnish compatible with oil paints to ensure longevity.
Varnishing

critical techniques

Grisaille Underpainting

A monochrome layer using black, ultramarine, and white to establish values and forms before adding color. This method was used by Sir Joshua Reynolds and likely influenced Abbott’s practice (Source 1).

Glazing and Scumbling

Applying transparent (glazing) and semi-opaque (scumbling) layers of red and yellow tones over the dry grisaille to add color and depth. This technique was common among old masters (Source 1).

Likeness Capture

Focusing on creating a recognizable and accurate representation of the sitter, a key goal of portrait painting (Source 2).

common pitfalls

→Failing to let the grisaille underpainting dry completely before glazing, which can lead to muddy colors and technical issues (Source 1).
→Over-modeling or being too tied to the outline, which can result in a stiff or unnatural appearance. Studying works by Reynolds or Van Dyck can help correct this tendency (Source 7).
→Using pigments that yellow over time, such as certain drying oils, which can alter the color balance of the painting (Source 3).

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 painting, such as the sitter’s pose, clothing, background, and facial expression, are not described in the sources.
·Abbott’s exact palette and specific pigment choices for this painting are not documented in the provided passages.
·The exact dimensions and format of the painting are not available.
·Details about the sitter’s attire, such as naval uniform specifics, are not provided, though Abbott painted other naval officers (Source 4).

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, and scumbling techniques
- ON COPYING — applied to Advice on correcting compositional and modeling errors

cross-referenced from

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

Wikipedia: Portrait painting↗
- Portrait painting — part 1 — applied to Purpose of portrait painting and emphasis on likeness
Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- Oil painting — part 4 — applied to Materials and pigments used in oil painting
Wikipedia bio — Lemuel Francis Abbott↗
- Lemuel Francis Abbott — part 1 — applied to Artist’s specialization and reputation for likeness