plate no. 6488

Zomer te Latem

Gustave de Smet, 1936

oilExpressionismlandscapelandscapecloudsbuildingsfieldtreeschurch

what to study here

It shows how a limited value structure, one dark silhouette, and varied edge handling can build a dramatic sky and spatial depth with visible brushwork.

The main lesson here is how far a few value zones can carry a landscape. The vision guide reads four: pale cream cloud lights, a warm tan-gray sky, a golden field, and a deep brown-black village silhouette. Squinted, it is a light sky over a dark ground, and the separation does most of the work. Study how the village is held as one dark mass with a hard, clean edge against the sky, with the church spire as the darkest note and no internal detail. Then look at the clouds, where edges change by location: soft where cloud meets sky, crisp and dark on the undersides. Notice the directional strokes that follow cloud forms and the horizontal, visible strokes in the field, which stay unblended in the foreground. The field also shifts in value from lighter near the horizon to warmer gold in front, which sets up recession. Copy the value map and the edge decisions before you think about color.

key decision

The painter reduced the village and church spire to a single dark, hard-edged silhouette against a luminous sky. That extreme value separation, with soft and crisp edges varied in the clouds, drives the picture.

recreation guide

Gustave de Smet’s *Zomer te Latem* (1936) is a quintessential example of Flemish Expressionism, a movement co-founded by de Smet alongside Constant Permeke and Frits Van den Berghe. The work reflects the group’s aim to innovate Belgian art by turning away from bourgeois conventions and drawing inspiration directly from nature and rural life, specifically in the Lys river area around Sint-Martens-Latem (Source 1). As a landscape painting, it likely depicts natural scenery such as trees, fields, or the river, arranged into a coherent composition where the sky and weather play significant roles (Source 2). The style is characterized by distorted forms, dynamic compositions, and a specific coloration that bears a stylistic relationship to German Expressionism, influenced by de Smet’s exile in the Netherlands where he encountered the Bergen School (Source 1).

estimated time

20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions

materials

5 items

steps

5 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints (pigment + drying oil)	Primary medium for the artwork	—
Linseed oil	General purpose drying oil for mixing paints; provides strong paint film	—
Safflower, walnut, or poppyseed oil	Mixing medium for lighter colors (like white) to prevent yellowing on drying	—
Canvas or linen support	Surface for painting; linen is historically common as it comes from the flax plant, same as linseed oil	—
Palette knives and brushes	Application of paint to achieve dynamic compositions and distorted forms	—

preparation

surface prep

Prepare a linen or canvas support. While specific priming methods for this exact 1936 work are not detailed in the sources, de Smet’s background as a decorative painter and his association with the Latem School suggest a robust preparation suitable for outdoor or vigorous application. Ensure the surface is sized and primed to accept oil paint without absorbing too much oil, maintaining the integrity of the paint film (Source 3).

underdrawing

De Smet preferred to work in nature without a teacher and aimed to draw inspiration directly from nature (Source 1). While specific underdrawing techniques for this piece are not recorded, Expressionist landscapes often involve loose, dynamic sketches to establish the 'distorted forms' and 'dynamic compositions' characteristic of the style (Source 1). Avoid overly rigid, topographical accuracy; instead, focus on the emotional idea and the 'painted symbols' true to nature but expressive of feeling (Source 6).

underpainting

Consider an underpainting to establish tonal values and color harmony. De Smet’s work is noted for its coloration and use of complementary colors to create visual tension (Source 1, Source 4). An underpainting in earth tones or a grisaille could help manage the 'simultaneous contrast of colours' where contiguous colors modify each other’s appearance (Source 7).

color palette

Vibrant Greens and Earth Tones

Viridian, Chrome Green, Ochre, Umber

Depicting the rural Lys river area, trees, and fields; consistent with the Latem School’s inspiration from nature (Source 1)

Blues and Whites

Ultramarine, Cobalt Blue, Lead White (historically) or Titanium White (modern)

Sky and weather elements; sky is almost always included in landscape views (Source 2). Use lighter oils like safflower for whites to prevent yellowing (Source 3).

Complementary Accents (Reds/Oranges)

Cadmium Red, Yellow Ochre

Creating visual tension and harmony through complementary color relationships, a key aspect of Expressionist coloration (Source 1, Source 4).

composition

The composition should reflect the 'dynamic compositions' and 'distorted forms' typical of Flemish Expressionism (Source 1). Avoid static, bourgeois arrangements. Instead, arrange elements like trees, sky, and land into a coherent but emotionally charged structure. The sky and weather should be prominent elements, contributing to the mood (Source 2). De Smet’s work often shows a sense of balance and synthesis, possibly influenced by Cubist elements (Source 1).

step by step

underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing

underdrawing

step 01
Sketch the basic forms of the landscape loosely, focusing on the dynamic arrangement of trees, sky, and land. Do not aim for topographical accuracy but for the emotional essence of the scene.
Tip — Remember that de Smet preferred working in nature and drawing inspiration from it directly (Source 1).
Loose sketching

underpainting

step 02
Apply a thin layer of paint to establish major tonal values and color relationships. Use complementary colors to create initial contrast and harmony.
Tip — Be aware of simultaneous contrast; colors will appear different when placed next to each other (Source 7).
Color underpainting

first pass

step 03
Build up the paint layers, focusing on the distorted forms and dynamic brushwork characteristic of Expressionism. Use linseed oil for general mixing and lighter oils for whites.
Tip — Ensure the paint film is strong; avoid over-diluting with slow-drying oils in areas needing structure (Source 3).
Impasto or dynamic brushwork

refining

step 04
Adjust color harmonies and contrasts. Enhance the visual tension using complementary colors. Refine the distorted forms to ensure they contribute to the overall emotional impact.
Tip — Check for visual fatigue; step back to assess the overall effect of the color interactions (Source 7).
Color harmony adjustment

finishing

step 05
Finalize details, ensuring the sky and weather elements are integrated into the composition. Add any final touches to the distorted forms to enhance the Expressionist style.
Tip — Remember that the goal is not to deceive the eye with illusion but to express feeling through painted symbols (Source 6).
Final detailing

critical techniques

Distorted Forms and Dynamic Composition

Central to Flemish Expressionism, used to convey emotional intensity rather than realistic representation. De Smet’s work shows this through its stylistic relationship to German Expressionism (Source 1).

Color Harmony and Contrast

Use of complementary colors to create visual tension and harmony. This is a key aspect of Expressionist coloration and is supported by color theory principles (Source 4, Source 7).

Direct Inspiration from Nature

De Smet and the Latem School drew inspiration from nature and rural life, aiming to innovate Belgian art by turning away from bourgeois conventions (Source 1).

common pitfalls

→Over-focusing on topographical accuracy, which is considered inferior to fine art landscapes in this context (Source 2).
→Ignoring the simultaneous contrast of colors, leading to inaccurate color perception and application (Source 7).
→Attempting to create a deceptive illusion of nature rather than expressing feeling through painted symbols (Source 6).
→Using linseed oil for white pigments, which may yellow on drying; use safflower, walnut, or poppyseed oil instead (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 underdrawing or underpainting techniques used by de Smet for this particular 1936 work are not detailed in the sources.
·Exact pigment formulations used by de Smet are not specified, though general oil painting practices are described.
·Specific compositional details of *Zomer te Latem* (e.g., exact placement of trees, figures, or buildings) are not described in the sources, so general Expressionist landscape conventions are applied.

grounded in

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

Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- Simultaneous Contrast — applied to Color application tips and pitfalls
The Practice and Science of Drawing↗
- Materials — applied to Philosophy of expression vs. illusion

cross-referenced from

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

Wikipedia bio — Gustave de Smet↗
- Biography and Style — applied to Overview, style characteristics, and inspiration from nature
Wikipedia: Landscape painting↗
- General Landscape Painting — applied to Composition notes, sky/weather elements, and topographical vs. fine art distinction
Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- Ingredients and Characteristics — applied to Materials list, oil selection, and paint film integrity
Wikipedia: Harmony (color)↗
- Color Harmony Principles — applied to Color palette and critical techniques

Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.

read from the painting

observed from the image, not the label

6 dominant colors, measured

what the eye sees

A dramatic summer sky commands the composition, with heavy, soft-edged clouds lit from above in pale cream and white against deep gray-brown shadows. Below, a small village with a prominent church spire sits as a tight, dark silhouette on the horizon line, center-left. The foreground is dominated by a sweeping golden-yellow field that curves downward, creating strong atmospheric recession from the viewer's position. Light enters from above, creating vivid contrast between the luminous sky and the darkened village mass. The eye travels first to the bright cloud centers, then down the field toward the distant buildings.

value structure

Four distinct value zones: the pale cream-white cloud highlights (lightest), the warm tan-gray sky (mid-light), the golden field (mid-tone warm), and the deep brown-black silhouette of village and trees (darkest). When squinted, the composition reads as a dramatic light sky above a dark ground—extreme value separation creates the painting's visual punch. The field transitions from lighter near-horizon to warmer gold in the foreground, grounding the recession.

observed palette and mixes

#dad6c4
Titanium White + touch of Raw Sienna + Naples Yellow
Cloud centers and upper sky lights; the brightest cloud tops
#9a8e70
Raw Sienna + Titanium White + touch of Ultramarine Blue
Mid-tone sky, cloud undersides, atmosphere
#beb8a1
Naples Yellow + Titanium White + touch of Raw Sienna
Foreground field, lighter field passages, warm ground
#796e55
Raw Sienna + Burnt Sienna + touch of Ultramarine Blue
Tree line, darker field areas, mid-tone transitions
#5b5647
Burnt Sienna + Ultramarine Blue + touch of Alizarin
Deep shadow areas within clouds, tree shadows
#3b3530
Ultramarine Blue + Burnt Sienna + touch of Ivory Black
Church spire, village silhouette, darkest cloud shadows, hard edges

edges and brushwork

Brushwork is bold and expressive throughout. Clouds are painted with directional strokes—horizontal and curved—that follow the cloud forms; edges are soft and blended where clouds meet sky, but darker edges on cloud undersides are crisp and dramatic. The field shows strong horizontal strokes suggesting the sweep of golden grain, with visible gestural marks. The village silhouette maintains a hard, clean edge against the sky, creating stark separation. No blending or softness in the foreground—the mark-making is confident and visible.

a working sequence

01
Underpaint the structure
Using thin paint, lightly block in the horizon line and the dark village silhouette (church spire, clustered buildings, tree line). These darks are your value anchor. Keep the drawing loose and simplified—treat the village as a single dark mass, not individual structures. This establishes your spatial division between sky and ground.
02
Establish the sky ground
Paint the entire sky with a warm tan-gray (Raw Sienna + White + touch of blue). Work around the cloud shapes loosely; don't worry about clouds yet, just create a unified warm atmospheric background. This warm undertone will show through and unify the later cloud layers.
03
Block in the golden field
Paint the foreground field in golden-yellow (Naples Yellow + Raw Sienna + White). Follow the curve of the field as it recedes; make the near edge warmer and slightly darker, the distant edge lighter. Use broad, horizontal strokes. This establishes the recession and warmth of the ground plane.
04
Establish cloud shadows and structure
With your darkest mix, block in the dark undersides and shadow edges of the clouds. Study the cloud shapes carefully—they have clear, defined dark edges that read against the lighter sky. Paint these dark edges decisively. This creates the skeleton of the dramatic cloud formation and the strong value contrast that drives the painting.
05
Layer cloud highlights
Using pale cream (White + touch of Naples Yellow + Raw Sienna), paint the bright tops and centers of the clouds. These should be broken, gestural marks that sit on top of the dark shadow layer. Let some dark edges show; clouds are not uniformly lit. Build these lighter passages confidently—they read over the darks beneath.
06
Develop cloud transitions
Where clouds meet the sky, blend the edges slightly so they read as atmospheric rather than pasted on. Where cloud shadows face downward, keep edges harder. Add subtle warm and cool shifts within the cloud masses (slightly warmer cream on one side, cooler on another). Squint often to check that the overall cloud mass still reads as a unified form against the sky.
07
Refine the village and anchor darks
Strengthen the church spire so it reads clearly against the sky—it should be the darkest dark in that silhouette. Define the tree line with a crisp dark edge. The entire village should read as a unified dark silhouette with minimal internal detail; the power is in the dark shape against light sky, not in rendering windows or roofs.
08
Texture the foreground field
Add directional brushstrokes across the field to suggest the golden wheat. Vary the value slightly—warmer and darker where the field recedes, lighter and brighter in the immediate foreground. Use gestural horizontal marks that follow the ground plane. This prevents flatness and adds the expressionist vitality visible in the original.

where studies of this painting go wrong

Cloud edges must be decisive—soft in some places (where they fade into sky), hard in others (especially dark undersides). If all edges are equally soft or hard, the clouds read as mush rather than volume.
The golden field can flatten if painted too evenly; it must show recession through both value and directional brushwork. Subtle warm-cool shifts help (warmer gold in the distance, cooler in the foreground).
The church spire will vanish if not dark enough or placed incorrectly. It's small but crucial—it must read as silhouetted against a lighter sky behind it.
Overworking the village will destroy the effect. The beauty is in the dark, simplified mass. Resist the urge to render individual buildings; leave it as a unified shape.

measured difficulty