plate no. 5322
Visit of Tetuan from the terrace of Khalifa
Carlos Saenz de Tejada, 1938
recreation guide
Carlos Saenz de Tejada’s 'Visit of Tetuan from the terrace of Khalifa' (1938) is a cityscape executed in oil, categorized under the Art Nouveau (Modern) style. As a cityscape, it depicts an urban landscape, likely focusing on the architectural forms and atmospheric conditions of the location rather than purely natural scenery (Source 4). The work belongs to a period where traditional oil painting techniques were still highly valued, despite modern prejudices against methods like glazing and scumbling (Source 1). The painting likely employs a structured approach to color and light, adhering to the laws of contrast to create depth and harmony in the urban environment (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 (Ultramarine, White, Black, Yellow Ochre, Red Ochre) | Primary pigments for underpainting and glazing | Artist-grade oil paints |
| Linseed oil or Oil of Copavia | Medium for thinning paint and creating glazes | Stand oil or pure linseed oil |
| Mineral spirits or Turpentine | Thinner for initial layers and cleaning | Odorless mineral spirits |
| Canvas or Panel | Support surface | Primed linen or cotton canvas |
| Palette knife | Application and scraping of paint | Standard palette knives |
| Brushes | Application of underpainting and glazes | Hog bristle and sable brushes |
preparation
surface prep
The surface should be prepared as a standard oil painting ground. While specific preparation for Saenz de Tejada is not detailed in the sources, traditional practice involves a canvas or panel with a few colors, brushes, vehicles, and a palette knife as the basic materials (Source 5). The ground should be dry and ready for the application of oil paint.
underdrawing
Traditional oil painting techniques often begin with the artist sketching the subject onto the canvas with charcoal or thinned paint (Source 6). For a cityscape, this would involve establishing the linear construction of the composition and the scale of architectural elements to their setting (Source 5).
underpainting
The underpainting likely involves a monochrome preparation, such as a grisaille. This method involves mentally extracting red and yellow colors to translate what would be left in nature if these two colors were not present (Source 1). This creates a foundation for subsequent glazing and scumbling.
color palette
Ultramarine
Ultramarine pigment
Underpainting and shadows, consistent with Sir Joshua Reynolds' method of using black, ultramarine, and white for initial paintings (Source 1)
White
White lead or chalk white
Highlights and mixing, part of the traditional palette (Source 1, Source 3)
Black
Ivory black or vine black
Shadows and underpainting, part of the traditional palette (Source 1, Source 3)
Yellow Ochre
Natural ochre
Glazing and scumbling, providing earthy tones inherent to the landscape (Source 1, Source 3)
Red Ochre
Red ochre or cinnabar
Glazing and scumbling, adding warmth and depth (Source 1, Source 3)
Yellow and Red tones
Various yellow and red pigments
Glazing and scumbling over the dry grisaille to add color, similar to tinting an engraving (Source 1)
composition
As a cityscape, the composition likely depicts the urban landscape of Tetuan. The artist may have employed principles of contrast to produce chiaroscuro, where the juxtaposition of different tones creates a gradation of light (Source 2). The colors inherent to the nature of the object, such as the sky and buildings, are determined by the subject, but the artist may have chosen accidental effects and atmospheric conditions to enhance the composition (Source 2).
step by step
underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing→varnishing
underdrawing
step 01
Sketch the cityscape onto the canvas using charcoal or thinned paint, establishing the linear construction and scale of architectural elements.
Tip — Focus on the accurate placement of buildings and the horizon line.
Initial sketching
underpainting
step 02
Create a monochrome grisaille underpainting using black, ultramarine, and white, mentally extracting red and yellow colors.
Tip — Ensure the grisaille is quite dry before proceeding to glazing.
Grisaille
first pass
step 03
Apply glazes and scumbles of yellow and red tones over the dry grisaille, using oil as a medium.
Tip — Glazing is a transparent coat of color, while scumbling is semi-opaque, allowing the underlying painting to show through.
Glazing and Scumbling
refining
step 04
Refine the colors and tones, paying attention to the laws of contrast to enhance chiaroscuro and depth.
Tip — Juxtaposing different tones can insensibly enfeeble the highest tone and heighten the lowest, creating a true gradation of light.
Contrast and Chiaroscuro
finishing
step 05
Add final details and adjustments, ensuring the colors harmonize with the inherent nature of the cityscape.
Tip — Use colors that are inherent to the model, such as the sky and buildings, while introducing accidental effects for atmospheric interest.
Color Harmony
varnishing
step 06
Apply a varnish to protect the painting and enhance the depth of the glazes.
Tip — Ensure the painting is completely dry before varnishing.
Varnishing
critical techniques
Glazing
A transparent coat of color applied over a dry underpainting to add depth and richness. This method was practiced by old masters and is effective for creating luminous effects (Source 1).
Scumbling
A semi-opaque painting technique where the underlying painting makes itself felt. When employed over a darker ground, it tends to coldness, often producing a grey bloom (Source 1).
Chiaroscuro
Produced by the juxtaposition of different tones, where the highest tone is enfeebled and the lowest is heightened, creating a gradation of light (Source 2).
common pitfalls
- →Applying glazes before the underpainting is completely dry, which can lead to muddiness and cracking (Source 1).
- →Ignoring the laws of contrast, which can result in flat and unharmonious colors (Source 2).
- →Using too much oil in early layers, violating the 'fat over lean' rule, which can cause the painting to crack and peel (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 'Visit of Tetuan from the terrace of Khalifa' are not described in the sources, so the guide relies on general techniques for cityscapes and oil painting.
- ·The exact palette and specific color choices for this particular painting are not detailed, so the guide uses traditional pigments mentioned in the sources.
- ·The artist's specific preparatory methods for this work are not documented, so the guide assumes traditional underdrawing and underpainting techniques.
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
- THE FRENCH SCHOOL — applied to Materials and compositional notes
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 6. Put beside each other two flat tints of different tones of the same colour — applied to Chiaroscuro and color harmony
The Science of Painting↗
- CHAPTER V. COLOURING SUBSTANCES — applied to Palette selection and pigment properties
cross-referenced from
Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.
Wikipedia: Landscape painting↗
- Landscape painting — part 13 — applied to Definition and characteristics of cityscapes
Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- Oil painting — part 2 — applied to General oil painting techniques and materials
Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.
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