Brief Report
For this little study, Lemmen used a ready-made stretched and pre-primed standard P2 size canvas. The plain, very thin and open tabby-weave, together with its single-layer ground (à grain) corresponds to the toile étude which can be found in trade catalogues. On the white ground Lemmen made an underdrawing of the major outlines in black pencil, and then a lay-in of the main areas of the composition in pale colours (figs. 7, 8). On these areas of colour he used carefully placed dabs of paint to differentiate and model; the sequence of application is easy to follow. Many areas are executed wet-in-wet, testifying to the brisk progress of the work. The pale ground plays a part in many areas of the picture and evokes the filmy character of the picture (fig. 9). Unfortunately a lining operation along with an inexpert varnish removal have impaired the pristine delicacy of the colour effect (figs. 10-12).

Georges Lemmen
The Cliffs of Dover, 1892, Oil on canvas, 16 x 23,8 cm, WRM Dep. FC 766

Georges Lemmen

born on 25 November 1865 in Schaarbeek, near Bruxelles,
died in July 1916 in Ukkel

Brief report with complete data as downloadable pdf-file

Further illustrations:

Fig. 02

Verso, lined


Fig. 03

Raking light, on the right-hand edge a broad stretchmark can be seen; it does not correlate with the present stretching points, and dates back to the stretching of the length of canvas for prepriming in the factory, prior to cutting


Fig. 04

UV fluorescence


Fig. 05

IR reflectogram


Fig. 06

Signature monogram, microscopic photograph (M = 1 mm)


Fig. 07

Visible horizon in the underdrawing beneath the paint layer (arrow), microscopic photograph (M = 1 mm)


Fig. 08

Detail, format stamp “2P” on the left-hand stretcher bar


Fig. 09

Detail under raking light, area of the chalk cliff with ground left visible


Fig. 10

Abbed paint application, microscopic photograph (M = 1 mm)


Fig. 11

Abraded paint layer and ground, the high points of the weave are visible, microscopic photograph (M = 1 mm)


Fig. 12

Damaged surface due to lining and incompetent removal of varnish, microscopic photograph (M = 1 mm)