August 2024 News
August 2024
This month we are so honoured to announce our new Colour Collection:
Donne D’Arte.
Donne D’Arte is a reimagined Renaissance palette, inspired by, and paying tribute to, the pioneering female artists of the period. Calm, fresh, and serene, the collection is reminiscent of the colours used within their paintings but reconceptualised with a softer, feminine twist.
Every Colour within the Donne D’Arte Collection represents a different Renaissance woman artist, with elements from their distinctive paintings influencing each refined shade. The process of their creation was arduous, with considerations made not only for the best reflection of the artist, but also for how the colour reacts to others within the collection. Through constant restarting and refining, we arrived at a true tonal harmony. All six colours are created for one another, each pairing striking a different conversation and creating a different atmosphere. This is the sort of play with colours which formed the final stages of creating this collection: arranging the colour chart – how do you present six colours with infinite pairings, each equally beautiful but entirely different in atmosphere.
Donne D’Arte Colours are all available in every paint base we sell, from Limewash, and Emulsions for the walls, to Glosses and Eggshells for the woodwork. This means they can go anywhere your heart may desire, see the images below for inspiration across the house:
Fede Galizia 1578-1630 Fede’s Ochre
Fede was a painter of still-life, portraits, and religious pictures. Known for her exquisite still-life paintings of fruit, she
is one of the earliest known artists of this genre in Europe. Largely overlooked for many decades, her paintings were
rediscovered in the 20th century, finally gaining Fede the recognition she deserved.
Propezia de Rossi 1490-1530 Propezia’s Neutral
A groundbreaking female sculptor and only one of four women to receive a biography in Vasari’s Lives of the Artists.
She studied painting, music, dance, poetry, and classical literature, and Propezia’s life is described by many as
transgressive. She liberated herself from traditional gender constraints through the act of self-creation.
Artemisia Gentileschi 1593-1656 Artemisia’s Pink
Artemisia was an incredible artist, internationally recognised for her talents, with works exhibited at esteemed fine art
institutions, such as the National Gallery in London. Raised only by her father, she lived most of her young life
surrounded by men and led a turbulent life filled with violence. She turned many of her brutal experiences into art.
Lavinia Fontana 1552-1614 Lavinia’s Russet
A Mannerist painter, Lavinia is regarded as the first female career artist in Western Europe. Her family relied on her
financially as a painter and her husband served as her agent, breaking traditional gender roles by raising their 11
children.
Sofonisba Anguissola 1532-1625 Sofonisba’s Green
Sofonisba received a good education that included fine arts, and her unusual apprenticeships with local painters set
a precedent for women to be accepted as students of art. She met Michelangelo, who recognised her talent, and
became the tutor of Elizabeth of Valois – the Queen of Spain.
Plautilla Nelli 1524-1588 Plautilla’s Graphite
Plautilla was a nun and self-taught artist, as well as the first ever known female Renaissance painter in Florence. Nelli
had the favour of many patrons, executing both miniatures and large pieces. Along with de Rossi, she is mentioned
in Vasari’s Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors and Architects.
The August 2024 Colour of the Month is Fede’s Ochre.
Fede’s Ochre from our new Donne D’Arte Collection has been a surprise contender this month. Since announcing the new collection the colour has really become the talk of the town and has featured in many of the current projects we are working on.
Fede’s Ochre is truly a gorgeous showcase of what our natural pigments are capable of, made entirely from Yellow Ochre, it is the only colour in the entire collection which can be formulated using only one pigment. The secret to it’s beauty lies in its tonal balance which is why it was one of the colours in the collection that took the most variations to get right. At first we started a lot lighter, almost at an off white, where the yellows glowed luminous and bright, then to bring it towards the tones we had in the collection we slowly brought it through to quite a deep and rich muddy yellow before feeling the need to work backwards slightly to retain that beautiful glow the colour had achieved mid way through this transition.
Fede’s Ochre is beautifully paired with any of the other colours within the Donne D’Arte’s Collection, but in the short time it has been out we have already seen it paired wonderfully with a plethora of varying colours and tones from deep and dark greys and browns to the paler warmth of a pink. This colour is available in every finish and would look fabulous anywhere.
Enjoy your Summer,
Francesca
