Traite d'Aquarelle

Traite d'Aquarelle

Published in 1877. This ebook is in French but has elegant engravings by the author illustrating all the components of water color painting.

This is the volume on water color painting that Vincent Van Gogh was studying when he wrote to his brother Theo.

"I bought Cassagne's Traite d'Aquarelle and am studying it; even if I should not make any watercolours, I shall probably find many thing in it, for instance, about sepia and ink. For until now I have drawn exclusively in pencil accented and worked up by the pen, sometimes a reed pen, which has a broader stroke. What I have been doing lately demanded that way of working, because the subjects required much drawing - drawing in perspective, too, for instance, a few workshops in the village here, a forge, a carpenter's shop and the workshop of a maker of wooden shoes...

...Rappard told me he was going to buy all Cassagne's books. He has trouble with his perspective, and I know of no better remedy for this ailment; at least, if I am quite cured of it, I shall have those books to thank for it - that is to say, I put into practice the theory they contain. However, practice is a thing one cannot buy along with books; if that were so, there would be a larger sale of them, I suppose.

And now adieu, with a handshake,

Yours sincerely, Vincent"

Premiere Partie - le Material

The first part is an extensive list of the tools of water color painting, colors, kinds of paint, palettes, brushes, paint boxes, and papers. 81 pages.

Deuxieme Partie - Principes Elementaires de l'Art

The second section is an elaborate section on perspective, the horizon line, the point of view, the vanishing point, aerial perpective, color, transparent and opaque water colors, light and shade, reflections, the power of tone and the finesse of tone, variety, harmony, comon tones, local tones, general principles of composition, general principles of art, how to chose a composition. All these lessons are illustrated with beautiful engravings by the author. There is a section on terms used in water color painting and a section on different kinds of papers available. 67 pages.

Troiseme Partie - Coup d'Oeil sur la Nature

The third part includes a letter from Joseph Vernet, and extensive advice on the tableau, painting the sky, painting the mountains, hills and distant scenery, painting terrain and rocks, a beautifully illustrated section on painting trees and foliage withe xtensive engraved examples, how to paint the flow of the river. Also how to paint architecture and interiors. 71 pages.

Quatrieme Partie - Application

The fourth section describes and provides beautiful examples of water color painting reproduced as tipped in color prints. At the end of the book there are even 2 pages of actual paper samples from the period. It also has an index. 43 pages.