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Color palettes have drastically evolved to accommodate new movements and attitudes throughout art history. Whether it be limited as in De Stijl or explosive as in Fauvism, the use of color offers an exciting glimpse into an artist’s techniques and influences. An evocative new book by British art historian Alexandra Loske explores these ideas through the color palettes used by some of the world’s greatest artists.
The Artist’s Palette showcases 50 such palettes alongside paintings by the artists who used them. Each entry analyzes granular details such as color, brushstroke, and technique to highlight the significance of the paints and pigments in the artist’s work.
Pointillist artist George Seurat, for example, methodically ordered his palette into neat rows, transitioning from yellows and reds to blues and greens. This allowed him to easily isolate colors both on the palette and canvas, where he applied small and intentionally placed dots. Figurative painter Francis Bacon, on the other hand, preferred a simple ceramic plate as his palette, dousing it completely with layers upon layers of paint. The chaos of the plate translates to his canvases, which were equally abstract, ghostly, and surprising.
The book travels to the studios of renowned artists from past to present, including Rembrandt, Vincent van Gogh, Georgia O’Keeffe, Keith Haring, and Kerry James Marshall. It also features vibrant photographs of palettes, paints, and pigments, which prove how unique each palette truly is. From the colors they use to the ways they organize them, artists clearly express their stylistic preferences and creative processes through their palettes.
This stunning volume is an exemplary journey through color and showcases the palette’s relevance across time and place. The Artist’s Palette will be published on November 5th, 2024, and is available for preorder via the Princeton University Press website and Bookshop.
A new book by Alexandra Loske explores the color palettes used by renowned artists across art history.
The book features 50 palettes and showcases how they influenced the artists who used them.
Gustave Courbet’s palette (undated). Paint on wood, 9 3/4 x 13 5/8 in. Musée départemental Gustave Courbet, Ornans. Donated by the Friends of Gustave Courbet Association, 1976. Acc. No: 1976.1.94. (Photo: Aurélia Channaux)
Edvard Munch’s palette (undated). Paint on wood, 17 x 11 1/2 in. Munch Museum, Oslo. Acc. No: MM.I.00994. (Photo: courtesy Munchmuseet)
Edward Hopper’s palette (undated). Oil on wood, 14 x 10 in. Edward Hopper House Museum & Study Center, Nyack. The Sanborn-Hopper Family Archive. (Photo: Dan Swindel)
The volume beautifully showcases the color palette’s relevance across time and place.
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My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Princeton University Press.
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