La palette des peintres, un laboratoire de la couleur au 18ème siècle | ENS-PSL

The lecture provides a nuanced and well-researched analysis of the intersection of art and science in 18th-century France. Guichard effectively uses a specific painting, Boucher’s ‘Le lever du soleil’, as a case study to illustrate broader trends in color theory and practice. Her argument is solidly grounded in historical sources, including the writings of Roger de Piles, the Dictionnaire des beaux-arts, and the works of Newton and his popularizers. She demonstrates a clear understanding of the scientific concepts involved, such as Newton’s theory of light and the chemistry of pigments, and she integrates them seamlessly into her art historical narrative. The lecture is well-structured, with a clear introduction, three main sections, and a conclusion that ties together the themes. One minor weakness is that the lecture is delivered in a conversational style, which may occasionally obscure the precision of the argument. Additionally, while she mentions the concept of ’trading zones’ and ‘reflexions opératoires’, she does not delve deeply into these theoretical frameworks, which could have enriched the analysis. The sources cited are appropriate and credible, though the lecture does not provide a formal bibliography. Overall, the lecture is a valuable contribution to the understanding of how painters engaged with scientific knowledge in the 18th century, and it successfully challenges the traditional view of Boucher as a purely decorative painter. The title accurately reflects the content, and the lecture is accessible to a general academic audience while maintaining scholarly rigor.

The title accurately reflects the content, which focuses on the palette of painters as a site of color experimentation in the 18th century.

8/10

The speaker is a professor of art history at ENS, the content is based on scholarly research, and the lecture is part of an academic event. The argument is well-structured and references historical sources, but the presentation is a lecture rather than a peer-reviewed publication.

Markers derived by PSI from the transcript: the creator did not define chapters.

• 00:00Introduction and presentation of the painting 'Le lever du soleil' by François Boucher.
• 02:00Discussion of the critical reception of the painting and the debate over its colors.
• 04:00Introduction of Roger de Piles and the quarrel between drawing and color.
• 06:00Explanation of the concept of 'reflexions opératoires' from Michael Baxandall.
• 08:00Definition of color from the 1788 Dictionnaire des beaux-arts.
• 10:00Introduction of the three themes: Newtonian theories, modern colorism, and pigments.
• 12:00Discussion of Newton's Opticks and its reception in France.
• 14:00Mention of Voltaire's 'Elements of Newton's Philosophy' and Algarotti's 'Newtonianism for Ladies'.
• 16:00Explanation of the 'Newtonian painting' formula and the spectrum of colors.
• 18:00Transition to the second theme: the evolution of the art of color in modern painters.

• Savoirs ENS platform — Platform hosting the lecture and other academic videos.
• Journée Georges Bram 2025 page — Page for the conference series where this lecture was given.
• ENS-PSL official website — Institutional website of the École normale supérieure - PSL.
• ENS-PSL LinkedIn — LinkedIn page of the institution.
• ENS-PSL YouTube channel — Official YouTube channel of the institution.

• Michael Baxandall, 'Shadows and Enlightenment' — Referenced in the lecture for the concept of 'reflexions opératoires'.
• Roger de Piles, 'Dialogue sur le coloris' — Mentioned as foundational for the debate on color.
• Isaac Newton, 'Opticks' — Discussed as a key influence on color theory.

• Contemporary critics of Boucher — The lecture quotes a critic who disapproved of Boucher's use of color, representing a contrasting view.