HowToPastel Archives

Showing Results for: A bit of art history

Thérèse Schwartze , "Woman Wearing A Hat (Portrait of Theresia Ansingh)," n.d. (after 1906), pastel on paper, 71 x 57 cm (27 15/16 x 22 7/16 in), Private Collection

Thérèse Schwartze – Painting For A Living

I came across the painter, Thérèse Schwartze (1851-1918), a year or so ago. The piece I saw was a pastel of hers posted on Facebook. I was stunned and thought, Why have I never heard of this artist before? Have a look at the image I saw. Look at the bravura of stroke, the softness of

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Mary Cassatt, "The Long Gloves," 1889, pastel on paper, 25 1/2x 21 in, Private Collection

Delighting in ‘The Long Gloves’ by Mary Cassatt

Big question….what post to offer just before the Christmas holidays? Something wintery? Nah, don’t need to be reminded of that at the moment. (Mind you, the Winter Solstice has just passed and we are now heading into lighter days again. Yay!!) And then I remembered a painting that I’d seen posted somewhere recently that I think

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FRantisek Kupka, "Study for Planes by Colours," 1909-10, pastel on paper, 22 x 17 1/8 in (56 x 45.5 cm), Musee National d'Art Moderne, Centre Pompidou, Paris

Frantisek Kupka – Figurative Pastels 1906-1911

Back in April, a pastel was posted by Don Gardi on the Pastel Society of America Facebook page. It was by an artist that was unknown to me – Frantisek Kupka. Once I started to dig a bit, I realized I had seen his work but it was his more abstract paintings that I was familiar

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Joan Eardley, "Glasgow Tenement and Back Court," c.1959-62, pastel on glass paper (sandpaper), 8 7/8 x 10 5/8 in, Private Collection

Joan Eardley – Her Pastels Of Glasgow Tenement Kids

When I first started blogging on www.gailsibley.com, I wrote a post about an artist I had recently discovered – Joan Eardley (1921-1963). I was blown away by her work and still am. Recently I borrowed a book on the artist via interlibrary loan. I could only keep the book for two weeks and I knew pretty quickly

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Childe Hassam, "Poppies, Isles of Shoals," 1891, pastel on paper, 9 3/4 x 12 1/4 in, Private collection

Childe Hassam, American Impressionist And Master Pastellist

A couple of days ago, I was flipping through a book I have on the American Impressionist Childe Hassam, Childe Hassam: Impressionist, when the pages opened to a couple of delightful floral pastels. I’m not sure about you, but I only vaguely knew he had done some pastel work. So I thought I’d share a few

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Giovanni Boldini, "Girl In A Black Hat," 1890, pastel on paper, 23 1/4 x 13 in (59 x 33 cm), Private Collection

Giovanni Boldini – “Girl In A Black Hat”

Back in April of this year, Don Gardi posted a portrait on the Pastel of America Facebook site – “Girl in a Black Hat” by Giovanni Boldini (1842-1931). Not only was this a stunning pastel but it was by an artist I was only vaguely familiar with. I was so impressed with the portrait I

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Eugene Delacroix, "Sketch after Ruben's painting, "Coup de Lance," c.1839, pastel, 12 5/8 x 12 1/2 in, Musee du Louvre, Paris

Delacroix’s Pastels – how he portrayed the Crucifixion

  In one of my earliest blogs on this website, I wrote about my surprise at discovering that Eugene Delacroix (1798-1863) worked in pastels from time to time. (Click here to read that post.) Since it’s the Easter weekend, I thought it would be appropriate to share three of Delacroix’s pastels of the crucifixion.  

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Odilon Redon, " Bouquet of Flowers," c. 1905, pastel on paper, 31 5/8 x 25 1/4 in, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

Odilon Redon…a portrait painter??

  Okay, fess up. Did you know that the French Symbolist Odilon Redon (1840-1916) painted portraits? I didn’t realize this until I came across his Portrait of Madame Arthur Fontaine in the Metropolitan Museum collection. We’ll take a look at it but first, take a glance at a couple of beautiful pastels which I think you’ll

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James McNeill Whistler, "The Guidecca," 1879-80, pastel on paper, 6 x 9 1/2 in, Mead Art Museum, Amherst College

Whistler’s pastel “The Guidecca” to wish you a Happy New Year!!

Whistler’s ‘The Guidecca’ James McNeill Whistler’s lovely sketch “The Guidecca” seems a good way to symbolize saying farewell to the old year and welcoming the new since I think this piece could either be a sunset or a sunrise. Guidecca refers to the Canale della Guidecca that runs between Venice and the Isola della Guidecca

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