D Major - Variation 5 — Acrylic on Wood Panel by Arnaud Quercy

About This Artwork

This work explores the visual translation of a D Major triad through chromesthetic mapping, part of the Synesthetic Explorations collection. The composition presents the fundamental chord tones D, F#, and A as their corresponding color equivalents, creating a direct bridge between musical harmony and visual experience. The piece functions as both a color study and a sonic investigation, examining how harmonic relationships can be expressed through pigment and form.

Yellow-orange tones dominate the composition, with rich peru and burlywood colors occupying substantial areas alongside vibrant orange sections in chocolate and goldenrod. The warm palette creates layered harmonies that mirror the chord's acoustic properties. Very dark gray provides foundational contrast, while green tones in cadetblue and darkslategrey add structural depth. Small accent colors appear throughout, including red-orange, blue, yellow, yellow-green, and blue-green fragments that create subtle harmonic tensions and resolutions.

The acrylic work measures 30.0 × 42.0 cm on wood panel, creating a compact vertical format that concentrates the chromesthetic relationships. Certificate of authenticity number 20241201-0223 documents this piece within the Synesthetic Explorations series. The painting translates a spread voicing of the D Major chord across multiple octaves, with each color family representing specific pitches and their acoustic properties. The work demonstrates how traditional harmonic analysis can be visualized through systematic color mapping, creating a tangible representation of musical structure.