Madonna of Chancellor Rolin

Madonna of Chancellor Rolin (c. 1435) by Jan van Eyck. Its palette is led by bistre (#33271a, 30%) and dark golden umber (#55452e, 26%), with accents of warm grey, very dark rich sienna, parchment and light tan. Overall the canvas is mid-toned, moderately saturated and warm.

Color note

Van Eyck is often credited with inventing oil paint; he didn't, but he perfected layering it in thin, translucent glazes. That is how his deep greens and jewel-like reds were built up.

Palette

#33271a MG 219 bistre 30.1% of canvas
#55452e MG 185 dark golden umber 26.4% of canvas
#8a2518 MG 020 dark red 11.2% of canvas
#8f8066 MG 174 warm grey 8.4% of canvas
#0b3956 MG 099 dark muted blue 8.2% of canvas
#4f0704 MG 149 very dark rich sienna 6.6% of canvas
#e4e5d4 MG 201 parchment 5.8% of canvas
#c2a085 MG 164 light tan 3.4% of canvas

Color families

Brown 58%, Black 15%, Blue 9%, Red 7%, White 4%

Measurements

Lightness: 0.41
Contrast: 0.61
Vividness: 0.049
Warmth: +0.78
Complexity: 187 cells
Hue range: 0.63
Focus: 0.20

Composition

54% of the visual weight is in the right half, 56% in the upper half. Symmetry 0.54 (how closely its shapes and edges mirror each other). 15% of the canvas is calm space. Half of the detail sits in 32% of the canvas. Measured from the image, not a rule the painter followed.

Details

Date: c. 1435
Medium: Oil on panel
Size: 66.0 × 62.0 cm
Genre: religious art
Collection: Department of Paintings of the Louvre

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