Active late 19th / early 20th century.
Less expensive and quicker to work with than oil paint, pastel became the perfect medium for portraits of the growing middle class in 18th century France. Pastel consists of powdered pigment that’s mixed with a binder to form sticks in various colours. Those sticks, often referred to as crayons, are then applied to paper. The unique, optical properties of pastel were also key to its success. It emits a light far brighter than most other surfaces, with many 18th-century viewers speaking of the distinctive ‘bloom’ that enlivened a sitter’s complexion. Here, then, was a literally brilliant update on traditional portraiture.
This portrait is of a French girl sporting a colourful blue scarf, fantastically rendered by Zoe Laigneau, an artist who was flourishing around the turn of the 20th century.
The pastel is in fine condition, the frame has various drop outs of gesso. (Please see photographs)
However, this does not detract from the overall beauty of the work.
Size - 20 inch Frame Height
Size - 17 inch Frame Width
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