The Colorist
Archive

A living archive of how artists work with color across time. Each artist profile scans publicly available works to trace dominant colors, a chromatic fingerprint, and the arc of a palette across a lifetime.A living archive of how artists work with color across time, tracing palettes, fingerprints, and lifetime arcs from public works.

Begin with an artist, carry a palette into the drawing system, or read the wider project.Begin with an artist, carry a palette into the drawing system, or read the wider project.

Scanning works…

Hans Memling

Memling refined the luminous oil technique of van Eyck into serene devotional panels. His palette balances deep jewel tones — crimson, ultramarine, emerald — against soft flesh tones and gilded backgrounds.

Palette: #68452D #A9805B #97613F #CC9760 #E6DECD #803525 #671D14 #BB5533

  • Madonna and Child with Saints (1490): #756C4B #C6B59A #7685B2 #9C8250 #9F5544 #3B3933
  • Virgin and Child with Saints Catherine of Alexandria and Barbara (early 1480s): #514227 #201A17 #7D3326 #352B1E #806A52 #62642B
  • The Annunciation (1480-89): #8D7B5B #2D2013 #744A26 #79837C #802614 #4F3B28
  • The Annunciation (ca. 1465-70): #833126 #3B231A #29241E #012134 #74553B #061014
  • Portrait of an Old Man (ca. 1475): #23130D #070E0D #8B5836 #543B2B #693F29 #36261C
  • Virgin and Child (ca. 1934): #A08D84 #6E5E56 #856647 #723032 #4A3D34 #242626
  • Madonna and Child with Angels (after 1479): #413223 #847053 #902D2A #615036 #B09579 #7D969D
  • Portret de Donator: #201A28 #36344A #ECD7AC #B69E74 #424A65 #7B7D50
  • Annunciation: #8B6648 #CFAB7D #907D7B #6F3B1B #881609 #B9884A
  • Detail van de Ursula-Schrijn van Chasse de Ste-Ursule. Arrivée a Bale (Titel Op Object): #D5C0A4 #725A49 #AC9676 #90795A #797E81 #D8957E
  • Christ with Singing and Music-Making Angels (1480): #272219 #6B4826 #976F38 #B39E7C #4A301C #4E4130
  • Diptych with the Allegory of True Love: #4A4434 #0E171D #E7BA80 #2D2E25 #B88E55 #B5B892
  • Portrait of a Man with a Pink (1475): #0E0E10 #DFA489 #C47F63 #35160C #1F110D #924F38
  • The Man of Sorrows Blessing ((148): #0C0B0B #1F1213 #D69D6C #B57D54 #8D5B41 #694034
  • A Jeering Crowd: Fragment of a Mocking of Christ (1450): #1F190E #A57A4C #452C17 #704E2D #6B361D #2D1B0A
  • Adam (1485): #181A1A #D2A982 #B08158 #453D35 #796B56 #855836
  • Eve (1485): #0E0F0C #D1AE89 #716A56 #442D19 #A27E58 #494537
  • Portrait of a Man (1475): #081006 #D8B37C #492E0E #B88E46 #37240B #653F10
  • The Man of Sorrows Blessing (1470): #0F0C0C #CA9163 #241516 #9C6847 #7A4C3A #352320
  • Angel with an Olive Branch (1993): #CCC075 #2C2F36 #939593 #4D525A #232220 #3E3930
  • The Donor with St John the Baptist (1490): #413A2E #292721 #816C3E #B29965 #6B6152 #494C2A
  • Madonna of the Rose Bower (1480): #564A37 #C6C4CA #5E677D #B2926E #9C2A1B #7D98D0
  • St. George with Donor. (1480): #151415 #654C38 #39383B #7D7E89 #3A2B1F #AEB8DC
  • Madonna and Child with St. Anne. (1480): #342E27 #645747 #A59A85 #23211D #7D3522 #8D7C64
  • Mater Dolorosa (1480): #110F10 #D6BB9E #BC734F #2A1D1D #9E8368 #7C6352
  • Triptych of Jan Crabbe. Center Table (1468): #E3DCCA #6E594A #26252B #D1AD84 #423029 #A27F5F
  • Jan Crabbe Triptych. Left Wing (1465): #181515 #8E6347 #8C8D7E #DBCEB6 #332622 #473830
  • Triptych of Jan Crabbe. Right Wing (1465): #161413 #2C1E18 #B1B08A #51402C #956740 #6A412D
  • Death; Reverse Side of St. John (1470): #947660 #4D372A #ECCAB0 #C5A186 #332219 #1C1510
  • Diptych with Deposition (1475): #0A0808 #643A23 #DEAA57 #775E43 #C48548 #E5C581
  • Saint Stephen (1479): #665919 #C1C1B5 #937926 #3F3A0C #8F8D7A #C1AB8B
  • Pagagnotti Triptych (1480): #080C10 #4B4339 #241C18 #BCB3A2 #888C84 #78573B
  • Cranes with Coat of Arms (1480): #201D18 #241710 #64645D #353635 #4A4B47 #130D0C
  • Chicago Diptych (1485): #2A2522 #C3A186 #150C0C #646559 #957053 #47453F
  • Portrait of a Man in Prayer (1485): #A07B55 #6C4D2D #665A4D #221810 #382211 #3F3224
  • Saint Benedict: Left Wing (1487): #261E1B #463028 #E39C5B #694736 #B48257 #86634A
  • Benedetto Portinari's Triptych (1487): #251C19 #D5A672 #E4C89E #754D37 #422C24 #90684B
  • The Mourning Virgin with Saint John and the Pious Women from Galilee (1490): #1F2326 #BB9274 #8C6949 #613E23 #BCB8AA #5A574B
  • Deposition (1490): #D89D7A #432922 #1A0F0B #AE765C #6C473B #907267
  • Portrait of a Young Man (1480): #08070C #B67D5C #1D1514 #2E1C17 #3D2D1F #24241F
  • Portrait of a Man in a Black Cap (1470): #696F3B #452921 #2A2620 #C18C5F #FEFDEB #1C1B1B
  • Portrait of a Young Woman (1472): #CAAD85 #1F1F1C #817558 #44423A #7A6037 #A78857
  • King David and a Boy (1485): #59380E #221D18 #D6A380 #ADB7BC #A46E42 #52565F
  • Angel with a Sword (1479): #EFB256 #ABA374 #473226 #695138 #D4CE93 #D8873C
  • St Jerome and the Lion (1485): #442722 #7D2925 #684132 #2A1612 #8B5E45 #571F1C
  • The Virgin Showing the Man of Sorrows (1500): #BA8F67 #191212 #935E45 #D3B792 #2E1916 #584036
  • Portrait of Jacob of Savoy (1470): #0B090D #B69068 #906940 #565744 #938963 #321C15
  • Virgin and Child (1934): #705F56 #A5938A #856748 #6F2E30 #47382F #242423
  • Virgin with Child (1485): #B5855C #805B36 #7F2B1E #3B3628 #4F3521 #211C17
  • Portrait of Antoine, Bastard of Burgundy (1500): #4E3537 #2D1C21 #180F11 #E9B389 #D79168 #AF6F54
  • The Virgin and Child Enthroned (1480): #2F2D26 #B45247 #7B532C #412A1D #D9D6BD #B7A57A
  • Virgin and Child at Half-Length (1490): #D83F30 #F6DB95 #110A06 #F2B868 #E59A50 #99643A
  • Mystical Marriage of Saint Catherine (1474): #774E39 #AB5B41 #1B1413 #707154 #AF8664 #4C2D20
  • Salvator Mundi (1550): #CEAA82 #797B65 #D4AC69 #1D1109 #B88962 #97502D
  • Vanity (1485): #B99A7F #36382E #171A1C #7F6147 #635843 #533B28
  • Christ with Music-Making Angels (1485): #E8C27D #382D1D #6D361C #A0190E #B7764E #C3A583
  • Death (1485): #3A2B1C #C48A57 #603F25 #201A10 #945B33 #75401F
  • Hell (1485): #33140F #552B1E #B25C34 #DF9359 #7C4931 #A97049
  • A Skull (1485): #623C20 #412D1A #291F12 #F0BF7F #D29655 #AA6B35
  • An Escutcheon (1485): #756D3C #44271B #613829 #A9724D #59552D #835238
  • Portrait of an Elderly Woman (1485): #776654 #895B3D #524537 #988875 #633D21 #442B18
  • Bathsheba Bathing (1485): #5F413C #D8D4D3 #C9B6AB #8F8884 #382426 #88685B
  • Annunciation (1480): #9B5722 #806C69 #D3AF82 #B78B52 #351F15 #0E080D
  • Enthroned Madonna and Child with Angel (1485): #2E2E2E #C93932 #E7E0D6 #917662 #234055 #C4AE9C
  • The Martyrdom of St Sebastian (1475): #3A2621 #AD8762 #7B5C45 #573B30 #AF533D #D7CEAF
  • Portrait of a Man of the Family Lespinette (1487): #201A15 #885D43 #968C78 #67452F #3F433F #5F7275
  • Sibylla Sambetha (1480): #121211 #B19A86 #624F43 #8A6F5A #291B17 #412F27
  • Portrait of an Old Man (1475): #24130D #070D0E #8C5837 #683D27 #5A4532 #190F0B
  • Adoration of the Magi Triptych (1470): #42392B #665A44 #1B2020 #28251C #7D3B2C #9B9887
  • Portrait of a Man in a Red Hat (1465): #1C2A28 #3F5B4F #6A604A #8B9D8E #E8AE79 #E4E1CC
  • The Canon Gilles Joye (1472): #34231A #191815 #B18466 #5B432E #24120C #815D45
  • Diptych with Two Donors (1470): #24181A #512D2E #140A0B #D09174 #3B2527 #744842
  • Saint John the Evangelist (1478): #574C40 #382D26 #A04F54 #7D705C #813132 #271A18
  • The Donne Triptych (Central Panel) (1478): #0E0B0C #913C36 #DEE3EE #332620 #64543C #DCC0AA
  • Saint John the Baptist (1480): #201411 #403423 #49373E #6B593D #372629 #6F7468
  • Saint Lawrence (1480): #746F5A #9F1D22 #3E382B #261E16 #7F5F3D #E9E1BD
  • A Young Man at Prayer (1475): #141210 #132119 #382C20 #A89276 #6D5A45 #241D16
  • Portrait of Willem Moreel, Husband of Barbara van Vlaendenbergh (1480): #0C0A0A #B4C5C3 #F1CC8B #D8A765 #2E130D #895E31
  • Standing Virgin and Child (1490): #1A0F10 #F1CAA9 #A63533 #301C1E #4B2D2C #744941
  • Portrait of a Male Donor (1490): #2A1D1F #1C1314 #BF7960 #603D39 #E4A27E #8C584C
  • Portrait of a Female Donor (1490): #887354 #4A0505 #241913 #3A2311 #63533A #B69878
  • Virgin Enthroned with Child and Two Angels (1485): #52231D #170C08 #301C17 #7C4C3A #772C25 #DCBFA9
  • St. Jerome (1485): #643C35 #422723 #A2684E #271A17 #87362E #DDA372
  • Lamentation (1485): #0D0A0F #F0D57D #E7E5BD #A78147 #644432 #99AC83
  • Nativity (1470): #90765D #151414 #6A5041 #BFBDB6 #513A32 #934839
  • Portrait of a Elderly Man (1470): #140E10 #DBA784 #37221E #55362D #E3D7C3 #BC8063
  • People Shouting (1485): #3D3032 #846F60 #5D4C44 #2F2832 #B39F88 #D4C4AE
  • Triptych Center Panel:lamentation (1480): #150F09 #482D14 #9B7342 #332112 #58523D #6E4A26
  • Triptych of the Resurrection (1490): #AD967B #505057 #665A48 #36312B #8D6440 #DCD9D0
  • Triptych of the Rest on the Flight Into Egypt (1475): #774724 #4F3D27 #30281C #171713 #A26D46 #795A3B
  • Virgin and Child with St Anthony the Abbot and a Donor (1472): #0B0503 #852808 #2F1F11 #897150 #5A4129 #1F0803
  • Portrait of a Man (1490): #201612 #CB8E50 #B56020 #8F5E2E #E8CDA4 #6E360F
  • Virgin and Child with Saints Catherine of Alexandria and Barbara (1479): #191613 #756437 #9B3A27 #32281D #423A23 #584522
  • The Annunciation (1465): #3E291D #863428 #61462F #021F32 #241F1A #8D7159
  • Young Woman with a Pink (1487): #464130 #141D21 #E6BD85 #523B25 #5D251C #722B1B
  • Two Horses in a Landscape (1490): #ECE4D7 #0B0404 #713B0C #5C2C0B #73909F #915A21
  • Saint Mary Magdelene (1470): #110E0E #575C4D #2E281C #633D20 #7C7E6C #7E522D
  • The Flight Into Egypt (1470): #96765C #6C4E3F #B6B5B1 #1E1C24 #808384 #865A42
  • Chalice of Saint John the Evangelist [Reverse] (1470): #786D61 #393632 #5D452C #A79E8F #58504A #806842
  • Portrait of a Man with an Arrow (1478): #222222 #3E2A25 #1E2A34 #8E6953 #644835 #A5958D
  • Saint Veronica [Obverse] (1470): #7A5F3E #2A2832 #1A171A #888890 #E4DACF #C5B8B0
  • Madonna and Child with Angels (1479): #7A684C #483625 #993934 #BFC2B8 #B89D81 #7C582A
  • Portrait of a Young Man with a Rosary (1485): #08090C #746944 #191710 #504C2D #3D3715 #303528
  • Advent and Triumph of Christ (1480): #76533F #9B7456 #BB9467 #8C443D #B0A793 #4D3330
  • The Last Judgment (1467): #282521 #523D28 #D9B781 #9C7440 #EDDEBB #7D5936
  • Scenes from the Passion of Christ (1470): #95805F #66553B #2E2A26 #483D2D #C0945E #0F0F0F
  • Diptych of Maarten van Nieuwenhove (1487): #101713 #C89272 #3A3233 #8E604F #593E3B #BB473C
  • Madonna of Jacob Floreins (1485): #1F1F22 #342F2B #554A3B #7C735C #BBB19D #A25342
  • Madonna Enthroned with Child and Two Musical Angels (1480): #0A070B #10141C #453224 #C0BBB6 #9F1A15 #750D0C
  • Man with a Roman Coin (1473): #0A0905 #476468 #8F7253 #8C938C #423118 #6A5034
  • Portrait of Folco Portinari (1487): #100A0B #CF9B76 #281610 #A76D49 #854C2A #E5CBB0
  • Portrait of Maria Portinari (1470): #151414 #B9986D #4F3D32 #2E201D #8E6B4B #D4C59D
  • Tommaso di Folco Portinari (1428-1501); Maria Portinari (Maria Maddalena Baroncelli, Born 1456) (1501): #151016 #D8A787 #32272C #D2C2BC #5F5255 #A27258
  • Portrait of an Unknown Man in Landscape (1480): #1F1C26 #553D3C #7C8392 #C57F5A #332B34 #988C88
  • Benedetto Portinari Triptych: Right Wing, Portrait of a Praying Man (1487): #201512 #3C261E #CDA06A #613D2F #7F5740 #100806
  • Portrait of an Unknown Man with a Letter (1480): #0C1412 #E9A554 #568173 #E8EBBF #37311C #1F2217
  • The Man of Sorrows in the Arms of the Virgin (1477): #A27A49 #7B5736 #52351E #21150D #D8AA3B #17272D
  • Christ Blessing (1481): #0E100C #5E1B1A #2D1E18 #BB9577 #5B3F33 #84634F
  • The Virgin (1490): #C2AC85 #434631 #5E623C #695232 #959076 #8E734A
  • Mary with the Child (1487): #CFB19F #A87E66 #6A5139 #252B35 #332816 #151512
  • Christ with Singing Angels (1400): #38342D #5D5143 #8D754D #847363 #262210 #1C1C19
  • Music-Making Angels (1480): #393734 #625C53 #A5A397 #9C875E #483A22 #897966
  • Flowers in a Jug (Reverse) (1485): #2E2E31 #675D48 #877F63 #494336 #4C3024 #F0E4B1
  • Portrait of a Young Man Praying (Front) (1485): #18171A #5B503F #AD8E6D #261713 #3B2820 #C4C1A7
  • John de Baptist (Recto); a Skull (Verso) (1470): #241E17 #544133 #D15843 #42261D #A4382A #88705B
  • Portrait of Tommaso di Folco Portinari (1470): #060505 #C88B65 #8B5939 #5B351F #3B2014
  • Portrait of Barbara van Vlaendenbergh (1480): #171313 #C6A082 #322421 #85644F #4C413A #7F98A4
  • The Virgin and Child with an Angel (1480): #1D1915 #6A472A #8D362D #996749 #4A331C #422216
  • Saint Christopher (1480): #7C4F41 #E5B691 #AD4924 #994E33 #482217 #BD8062
  • Resurrection of Jesus (1450): #887F71 #424040 #57493A #B0B1B3 #9F5E4D #2C2720
  • Virgin and Child (1480-85): #5D422F #7F5839 #B38D6B #45240D #1A120E #79281D
  • Virgin and Child (Early sixteenth century): #AF7D1A #D2A459 #80591F #130F09 #453619 #D5A432
  • Salvator Mundi (1480-85): #825423 #603D1B #955242 #412F1B #7F2927 #376266
  • Young Woman with a Pink (ca. 1485-90): #221208 #332714 #A67844 #321A0B #5A290B #664120
  • Virgin and Child (ca. 1490-94): #4C3621 #76522C #2A241F #050404 #342212 #AA7C48
  • Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian (2023): #6F4C38 #A1653B #523324 #F2DFBC #CD8E5A #783F23
  • Presentation in the Temple (1969): #ECE7DB #202A39 #B3AA8F #63301C #D59069 #483D2A
  • Diptych of Jan du Cellier (1490): #B6965C #8E692E #F8F2DE #39351E #2C2F3B #504B2F
  • Earthly Vanity and Divine Salvation (Obverse) (1485): #170D0B #51332D #9D654E #6F3D30 #301D1B #CD9474
  • Christ at the Column (1487): #1A1413 #9C7054 #CB9F7E #352624 #6A493B #4F3831
  • Virgin and Child Enthroned with Two Musical Angels (1465): #863E35 #1B1412 #DCA973 #602F29 #6E5147 #492E2A
  • Diptych of Munich (1480): #5C482E #3B383D #757C8F #ACB0C5 #111011 #332D1E
  • Triptych of Jan Floreins (1479): #785949 #36221E #503B34 #AE8A6E #1F0E0C #5A3729
  • Tommaso di Folco Portinari (1428-1501); Maria Portinari (Maria Maddalena Baroncelli, Born 1456) (ca. 1501): #0E0B0A #A28063 #73563E #282520 #3F3F3A #4B3423

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