Brunaille

'Burial of a Franciscan Friar, oil on canvas brunaille by Allessandro Magnasco, El Paso Museum of Art

A Brunaille is a painting executed entirely or primarily in shades of brown. Such a painting is described as having been painted "en brunaille".^[1]

Brunaille has its roots in 12th century stained glass made for Cistercian monasteries, which prohibited the use of colored art in 1134. However, it was only in the early 17th century that the French term “brunaille” was coined to describe pictures painted in shades of brown.^[2] Brunaille are less common than paintings executed in grey (grisaille), though more common than those in green (verdaille).

References

1. Christie’s, Sale 2437, Old Master Pictures, lot 51, Amsterdam, Christie’s, 8 November 1999
2. Christie’s, Sale 1380, Old Master Paintings, lot 49, New York, Christie’s, 17 June 2004