The fountain of youth

The fountain of youth (1546) by Lucas Cranach the Elder. Its palette is led by warm grey (#857f67, 33%) and dark golden umber (#53462c, 21%). Overall the canvas is mid-toned, moderately saturated and warm.

Color reading

Brown covers about three-quarters of the canvas. Even its most colorful tone, pale golden sand #C4BA99, stays close to gray.

Palette

#857f67 MG 174 warm grey 33.0% of canvas
#53462c MG 185 dark golden umber 20.7% of canvas
#c4ba99 MG 189 pale golden sand 16.8% of canvas
#292114 MG 219 bistre 16.1% of canvas
#40301b MG 169 dark brown 13.4% of canvas

Color families

Brown 77%, Black 14%, Yellow 4%, Gray 2%, Green 2%

Measurements

Lightness: 0.50
Contrast: 0.56
Vividness: 0.041
Warmth: +1.00
Complexity: 220 cells
Hue range: 0.38
Focus: 0.00

Composition

51% of the visual weight is in the right half, 56% in the upper half. Symmetry 0.27 (how closely its shapes and edges mirror each other). 3% of the canvas is calm space. Half of the detail sits in 36% of the canvas. Measured from the image, not a rule the painter followed.

Details

Date: 1546
Medium: Paint on lime panel
Size: 122.5 × 186.1 cm
Genre: mythological painting
Collection: Gemäldegalerie Berlin, Berlin

Download the pin · Save to Pinterest

More by Lucas Cranach the Elder

Cupid Complaining to Venus, c. 1526
The Three Graces, 1531