The portrait of Susanna Lunded nee Fourment by Peter Paul Rubens
Imprimatura & drawing
Shadow study
Grisaille & color
White arrows:
Being a real virtuoso Rubens usually skipped “dead” grisaille layer (shown on the neck and the shoulder) incorporating it partially in the next one.
Being a real virtuoso Rubens usually skipped “dead” grisaille layer (shown on the neck and the shoulder) incorporating it partially in the next one.
Green arrow:
flesh color looks flat on this stage without glazes and highlights.
Around the left eyelid you can see imprimatura and umber shadows glowing through the flesh colors
Burnt Umber of Shadow Study and Imprimatura are glowing through the upper layers.
Shadow Study and Imprimatura are left almost untouched above the temple. Blue reflection on the jaw (from the sky on the background) was done during Live Color Stage.
Bluish Half-Tones of skipped by Rubes “dead layer” are masterfully mixed in the “live color layers”.