I gave a lecture at the Lyme Academy of Fine Art in Old Lyme, CT, on May 13, 2022. This video segment is Part 2 of my presentation. The focus of the lecture was the Color Palettes of Robert Henri. This lecture contained some elements from my October 2021 lecture at the Robert Henri Museum in Cozad, Nebraska. But because I was delivering this lecture to faculty and students who are artists and painters, I focused much more on the practical aspects of Henri’s palette designs. I also touch upon some palettes I did not get to at the Henri Conference 2021.
This part of the lecture covers more on the Triangular Palette, The 50% Intensity Palette, The Permanent Palette, and The Late Palettes of 1926-28.
Below are images and excerpts that appear in my lecture but were accidentally cut out during the recording.
The Permanent Palette 1922-E
Commentary on the Permanent Palette, 1922-E: Henri begins on the top line, with colors that contain earth pigments keeping the overall value and intensity reduced. Descending from this top line, he then increases the pigment strength as he raises the value. The colors of the highest Intensity lie in the mid-tone range. Those color notes in the higher value register produce a series of colors neutralized by the addition of white. Note the vertical sequence of neutrals in the far right column.
The Last Palette, “A Sequence of 5 Played Against the Complement”
Commentary: Here, you can see Henri working out which colors would appear on the palette if he mixed the B with the near complements of RO and OY. Quote, “This palette will result in RO color, O color, OY color, GB Bi, B color, BP Bi, and B hue.“
Commentary on the color swatches: Here is the schematic design of the palette listing the pigments Henri will use to create these mixes. Note Henri’s personal shorthand on this page. Henri lays out the palette with 37 flesh tones pre-mixed and set with swatches on this page.
The video ends abruptly—my last idea centers around the participation of the viewer. Quote, “The artist just leads them to the well, and the viewer then drinks from the well themselves. This type of painting stimulates engagement and brings about the renewal of both artist and viewer- each finding his own path.” The lecture concludes by focusing on color as language.
Although there are several interruptions in this video, I hope you may find some ideas that activate your mind and engage your painting practice.