plate no. 7659
View of Tivoli (after Corot)
Berthe Morisot, 1863
recreation guide
Berthe Morisot’s 'View of Tivoli (after Corot)' (1863) represents a pivotal moment in her transition from academic training to the plein-air practices that would define her Impressionist style. Created during her formative years under the influence of Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, this work likely reflects her early experimentation with capturing light and atmosphere outdoors, a practice she pursued using watercolors for their portability before fully mastering oil painting (Source 4). While Morisot is renowned for her later 'feathery touch' and loose brushwork, this earlier piece may exhibit a more structured approach, potentially utilizing traditional oil painting methods such as glazing and scumbling to build depth and luminosity, techniques documented in contemporary treatises on oil painting (Source 1). The artwork serves as a bridge between the classical landscape tradition and the emerging Impressionist sensibility, characterized by an attention to the modifications of light on the model and the harmonization of colors inherent to the natural scene (Source 2).
estimated time
20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions (allowing for drying times between glaze layers)
materials
6 items
steps
5 in sequence
materials
| item | purpose | modern equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Oil paints (Ultramarine, White, Black, Yellow Ochre, Red Ochre, Vermilion) | Primary pigments for underpainting and glazing; Ultramarine, White, and Black are specifically cited for the initial grisaille stage. | Artist-grade oil paints |
| Linseed oil or Oil of Copavia | Medium for thinning paint and creating glazes; Copavia is historically cited for Reynolds' method, while linseed is standard for 'fat over lean' application. | Stand oil or refined linseed oil |
| Mineral spirits or Turpentine | Solvent for thinning initial layers and cleaning brushes; essential for the 'lean' first layers. | Odorless mineral spirits (OMS) |
| Canvas | Support for the painting. | Linen or cotton canvas, primed with gesso |
| Charcoal or thinned paint | For initial sketching of the composition onto the canvas. | Vine charcoal or diluted oil paint |
| Soft brushes and palette knives | Application of paint; palette knives can be used for scraping or applying thick impasto if needed, though glazing requires soft brushes. | Hog bristle and sable brushes |
preparation
surface prep
The canvas should be primed with a traditional ground. While Morisot later experimented with unprimed canvases around 1880 (Source 8), in 1863 she was likely working on standard primed surfaces consistent with academic training. Ensure the ground is smooth to facilitate the glazing techniques described in Source 1.
underdrawing
Begin by sketching the subject onto the canvas using charcoal or thinned paint, as is traditional in oil painting techniques (Source 3). Morisot’s early training involved drawing classical figures and landscapes, so a careful initial layout is appropriate for this period.
underpainting
Create a monochrome underpainting (grisaille) using black, ultramarine, and white mixed with oil of copavia or linseed oil (Source 1). This stage involves mentally extracting red and yellow colors to establish the tonal structure of the landscape. Allow this layer to dry completely before proceeding.
color palette
Ultramarine
Pure ultramarine pigment
Part of the initial grisaille underpainting to establish cool shadows and sky tones.
White
Lead white or titanium white
Used in the grisaille and later mixed with other colors to create tints; Morisot characteristically used expansive white to create transparency (Source 8).
Black
Ivory black or lamp black
Part of the initial grisaille underpainting for deep shadows.
Yellow Ochre/Vermilion
Earth tones and reds
Applied as transparent glazes over the dry grisaille to introduce warmth and local color, mimicking the 'yellow and red tones as they occur' in nature (Source 1).
composition
Morisot’s early landscapes were influenced by Corot, who emphasized atmospheric perspective and the play of light. While specific compositional details of 'View of Tivoli' are not described in the sources, Morisot’s general practice involved seeking 'truths in observation' through plein-air painting (Source 8). The composition likely balances the density of forms with the atmospheric traits of light, a balance she later refined with Renoir (Source 8).
step by step
underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing
underdrawing
step 01
Sketch the landscape composition onto the primed canvas using charcoal or thinned paint.
Tip — Keep lines light to avoid interfering with subsequent layers.
Traditional oil painting sketching
underpainting
step 02
Mix black, ultramarine, and white with a medium (oil of copavia or linseed oil) to create a grisaille. Paint the tonal values of the landscape, excluding red and yellow hues.
Tip — Ensure the underpainting is fully dry before glazing to prevent muddiness.
Grisaille underpainting
first pass
step 03
Apply transparent glazes of yellow and red tones over the dry grisaille. Use a mixture of oil and varnish for mastery, or oil alone for beginners.
Tip — Glazing involves applying a transparent coat of color; it allows the underlying tones to show through, creating depth.
Glazing
refining
step 04
Use scumbling (semi-opaque painting) to adjust highlights and cool tones, particularly over darker grounds to achieve a 'grey bloom' if desired.
Tip — Scumbling allows the underlying painting to make itself felt; it is useful for creating atmospheric effects.
Scumbling
finishing
step 05
Refine the color harmonies by observing simultaneous contrast. Adjust tones to ensure that contiguous colors do not distort the perception of local color.
Tip — Be aware that the eye may perceive colors inaccurately due to mixed contrast; verify colors against the model or reference.
Simultaneous contrast adjustment
critical techniques
Glazing and Scumbling
Morisot’s early work may have utilized these traditional methods to build luminosity and depth. Glazing adds transparent color layers, while scumbling adds semi-opaque layers to modify tone and texture.
Simultaneous Contrast
Understanding how adjacent colors affect each other is crucial for Impressionist color harmony. Morisot’s virtuosity as a colorist suggests she carefully managed these interactions to create balanced effects.
Fat over Lean
Each subsequent layer of paint should contain more oil than the previous one to ensure proper drying and prevent cracking.
common pitfalls
- →Applying glazes before the underpainting is completely dry, which can lead to muddiness and cracking.
- →Ignoring the 'fat over lean' rule, causing the paint film to become unstable.
- →Failing to account for simultaneous contrast, leading to inaccurate color perception and harmony.
- →Overworking the paint, losing the freshness and spontaneity characteristic of Morisot’s style.
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 'View of Tivoli' (e.g., exact layout, specific objects) are not described in the sources.
- ·Morisot’s exact palette for this specific 1863 work is not detailed; the guide infers from general practice and contemporary techniques.
- ·The extent to which Morisot used glazing vs. direct painting in 1863 is inferred from traditional methods and her later evolution, not explicitly stated for this piece.
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
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 315-318 — applied to Color harmony and simultaneous contrast adjustments
cross-referenced from
Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.
Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- Oil painting — part 2 — applied to Surface preparation, sketching, and 'fat over lean' rule
Wikipedia bio — Berthe Morisot↗
- Training, 1857–1870 — applied to Context of Morisot’s early training and plein-air practice
- Style and technique — applied to Morisot’s use of white and color harmony
Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.
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