plate no. 2399

William Rastall

oil, canvasBaroqueportraitportraitfigureboytablebookclothing

recreation guide

William Rastall (1764) by Joseph Wright of Derby is a portrait that exemplifies the artist’s transition into the Baroque-influenced style characterized by dramatic lighting. Wright is historically noted for his mastery of tenebrism, an exaggerated form of chiaroscuro that emphasizes stark contrasts between light and dark, a technique he famously applied to candlelit subjects and scientific scenes (Source 4). While this specific portrait does not feature the explicit scientific apparatus of works like *An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump*, it likely employs Wright’s signature handling of light to model form and create psychological depth, consistent with his broader practice of using brilliant light against shade (Source 7). The work reflects the spirit of the British Enlightenment, where Wright served as a visual chronicler of the intellectual and industrial shifts of his time (Source 4).

estimated time

20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions

materials

4 items

steps

5 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints (Black, Ultramarine, White, Red Ochre/Yellow Ochre)	Primary pigments for underpainting and glazing, consistent with 18th-century practices and Reynolds' cited method.	Modern tube oils: Ivory Black, Ultramarine Blue, Titanium White, Red Ochre, Yellow Ochre.
Oil of Copavia (or modern stand oil/linseed oil)	Medium for the first and second paintings, as cited in Reynolds' method which Wright likely knew or paralleled.	Stand oil or refined linseed oil.
Canvas	Support for the oil painting.	Linen or cotton canvas, primed.
Varnish	For mixing with oil in later glazing stages to increase transparency and flow.	Dammar varnish or synthetic resin varnish.

preparation

surface prep

Prepare a standard oil-primed canvas. While specific ground preparation for this portrait is not detailed in the sources, Wright’s era typically utilized a white or light-toned ground to facilitate the luminous effects of his chiaroscuro. Ensure the surface is smooth to allow for the fine finish associated with portrait work, as Wright was a 'sound craftsman' who understood the capacities of his medium (Source 1).

underdrawing

The sources do not explicitly describe Wright’s underdrawing method for this specific portrait. However, given the emphasis on 'broad masses' and the risk of being 'too much tied down to your outline' (Source 1), a loose, tonal underdrawing is recommended rather than a hard linear sketch. This aligns with the advice to avoid smallness and focus on mass (Source 1).

underpainting

Employ a grisaille (monochrome underpainting) technique. The sources advise mentally extracting red and yellow colors to establish the tonal structure first (Source 2). This preparation allows the artist to focus on value and form before introducing color. This method was common among old masters and helps prevent the 'smallness' or over-modeling that can occur when working directly in color (Source 1).

color palette

Black

Ivory Black or Lamp Black

Establishing shadows and depth in the grisaille and final glazes, consistent with Reynolds' cited method (Source 2).

Ultramarine

Ultramarine Blue

Cool shadows and atmospheric depth; cited as a primary color in Reynolds' method (Source 2).

White

Lead White (historically) or Titanium White (modern)

Highlights and mixing with black/ultramarine for the grisaille (Source 2).

Red/Yellow Tones

Red Ochre, Yellow Ochre, Vermilion

Glazing and scumbling to introduce warmth and flesh tones, applied over the dry grisaille (Source 2).

composition

Specific compositional details of *William Rastall* are not described in the provided sources. However, Wright characteristically used dramatic chiaroscuro to focus attention on the subject’s face or hands, often leaving the background in deep shadow to enhance the contrast (Source 4). The composition likely leverages the 'brilliant light on shade' technique noted in his other works (Source 7).

step by step

underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing

underdrawing

step 01
Sketch the basic forms loosely, focusing on broad masses rather than fine details. Avoid being 'tied down to your outline' to prevent a timid or over-modeled result (Source 1).
Tip — Check proportions against the 'broad masses' principle.
Loose tonal sketching

underpainting

step 02
Create a grisaille using black, ultramarine, and white mixed with oil of copavia (or stand oil). This establishes the tonal structure without color distraction (Source 2).
Tip — Ensure the grisaille is completely dry before proceeding to glazing.
Grisaille

first pass

step 03
Begin glazing and scumbling with red and yellow tones. Apply transparent coats of color over the dry grisaille, similar to tinting an engraving (Source 2).
Tip — Use oil initially; later mix with varnish for greater transparency.
Glazing

refining

step 04
Refine the chiaroscuro effects. Wright’s style relies on tenebrism, so deepen the shadows and intensify the highlights to create dramatic contrast (Source 4).
Tip — Avoid 'smallness' by keeping brushwork broad in shadowed areas.
Tenebrism

finishing

step 05
Adjust color intensity using complementary juxtaposition if needed. For example, if flesh tones are too red, surround them with greenish tones to soften them, or use blue tones to make orange hues appear more vibrant (Source 5).
Tip — Exaggerate color effects to imitate nature’s luminous intensities (Source 5).
Complementary color juxtaposition

critical techniques

Tenebrism/Chiaroscuro

Wright is notable for using tenebrism, an exaggerated chiaroscuro effect, to emphasize contrast between light and dark. This is central to his style, even in portraits (Source 4).

Glazing and Scumbling

Applying transparent (glazing) and semi-opaque (scumbling) layers of color over a dry monochrome underpainting. This method was practiced by old masters and allows for rich, luminous color effects (Source 2).

Complementary Color Juxtaposition

Using complementary colors next to each other to enhance intensity or soften tones. For instance, placing blue next to orange makes the orange appear more orange (Source 5).

common pitfalls

→Being 'too much tied down to your outline' or 'too timid to depart from it,' which leads to over-modeling and a lack of vitality (Source 1).
→Attempting to achieve 'smallness' or excessive detail too early, which can ruin the broad massing essential to Wright’s dramatic style (Source 1).
→Applying glazes before the underpainting is completely dry, which can muddy the colors and ruin the transparency (Source 2).
→Ignoring the 'vitality possessed by the medium' by trying to create a deceptive illusion rather than expressing feeling through painted symbols (Source 8).

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 William Rastall’s clothing, pose, or background are not described in the sources.
·Wright’s exact pigment palette for this specific 1764 portrait is not detailed; the guide infers from general 18th-century practice and Reynolds’ cited method.
·The specific underdrawing technique (e.g., charcoal vs. ink) used by Wright for this portrait is not recorded in the provided texts.

grounded in

The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.

The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- ON COPYING — applied to Advice on avoiding smallness and over-modeling; importance of broad masses.
- COLOURING A MONOCHROME — applied to Grisaille underpainting, glazing, and scumbling techniques; use of oil of copavia.
The Science of Painting↗
- 4. When two colours separated by more than two others — applied to Use of complementary colors to adjust intensity and tone.
The Practice and Science of Drawing↗
- XX MATERIALS — applied to Philosophy of using the medium’s vitality rather than seeking deceptive illusion.