You could say that every great painting produces two works of art: the canvas and the surface on which the pigments are mixed. The artist’s palettereleased by Princeton University Press on November 5, takes a deep dive into a timeless studio tool and explores the beauty of the process.
The book, compiled by art historian and writer Alexandra Loske, contains fifty palettes used by art historical greats, from Edvard Munch Unpleasant Paula Modersohn-Becker to Kerry James Marshall.
Loske presents the physical palettes – dried paint, worn edges, well-practiced hinges, stained wood and all – alongside one or more paintings by each artist. She also analyzes the mixture of pigments, highlighting color relationships that illuminate both the methods used and the choices that led to a finished work.
For example, Modersohn-Becker’s Palette tells a moving story of an artist at a turning point in her career, which was cut short when she died giving birth to her daughter. She left a studio full of new and unfinished work, perpetually locked in a moment of transition – a reminder of the continued evolution of an artist’s oeuvre and career.
Marshall incorporates the motif into the paintings themselves, depicting black artists symbolically holding oversized palettes and raising questions about the role of color in black history and Western art.
From impressionist virtuosos to modernist greats, The artist’s palette traces the stories behind many of the most important paintings in art history. Pre-order your copy in the Colossal store.
