Pastel - A Timeless Medium
A Brief History of Pastels:
From the first art medium seen in prehistoric cave drawings, to contemporary art seen in 99 Voices in Pastel, pastels have remained a popular choice for artists throughout history. Pastels are composed of fine powdered pigment and a binder, such as gum or resin, which is shaped into sticks and then dried. This process has remained the same for decades, however, the manufacturing of this chalk like medium has allowed for an expansive range of colors and shades available. Not only has this evolution produced an expansive catalog of colors, but it has also advanced creative expression through hues. From the primitive reds in cave drawings, to the mixture of red and white pigments in the Renaissance developing lifelike portraiture. During the Rococo period a shift towards airy and romantic scenes gave rise to soft blues. Later, the Impressionist period forever transformed the medium with the help of the oldest pastel manufacturer La Maison Du Pastel allowing artists to capture the nuances of light and shadows.
Red powder preserved inside ashell at the Neolithic site of Cova de l’Or (Beniarrès, Alacant, Spain)
Magdalenian cave painting of a bison, Altamira, Spain.
Early examples of pastel-like pigments can be found in prehistoric cave drawings across the globe. The most common colors used during this era were red, white, black, and ochre, often combined in different ways. Prehistoric people collected earth pigments, such as iron-rich clays and minerals, to create a fine red powder. After grinding these pigments with stone tools, they mixed them with natural binders like animal fat, plant sap, or water, producing a paste to apply on cave walls or other surfaces. Although this process dates back thousands of years, it reflects an early human impulse for creativity and self-expression—something shared by artists throughout history.
Barocci, Federico, Head of St. John the Evangelist. C. 1580
Benedetto Luti, Study of a Boy in a Blue Jacket, 1717
During the Renaissance, artists used pastels sparingly, often favoring pigments in chalk form for preliminary sketches. As techniques evolved, mixing pigments to create a broader range of shades became more common. For example, artists combined pigments like red and white to produce peachy, flesh-toned hues for realistic portraits. Cinnabar, a red mineral containing mercury sulfide, was widely used to achieve bright red tones, while lead white, a popular white pigment, was made by oxidizing lead with vinegar and then burying it to create a fine white powder. Although both pigments were highly toxic, they were essential for studies—a sketch in preparation for polished works or practice pieces to explore different techniques and styles. Due to inconsistencies in color production, pastels were seen as unreliable for large-scale, finished works. As a result, Renaissance artists mainly used pastel pigments experimentally, viewing them as a medium for exploration rather than for final masterpieces.
By the eighteenth century, pastels had gained popularity as an accessible and versatile art medium. Their affordability, portability, and consistent pigment quality made them appealing to artists and patrons. This shift was influenced by the growing demand for portraits across social classes; as portraiture became fashionable among both the elite and working class, artists sought mediums that required minimal sitting and drying time. A soft blue became emblematic of the era, as the light, romantic Rococo style rose in popularity, favoring dreamy, delicate hues. Woad, a flowering plant, played a key role in producing blue pigments. In the dyeing industry, woad leaves were dried, shaped into balls, and crushed into powder with wooden mallets. This pigment could be used to dye fabrics or mixed with binders to create pastel sticks, contributing to the ethereal palette characteristic of Rococo art.
Steps of the leaves to the blue dye.
The Impressionist movement of the 19th century embraced a modern approach to art, focusing on capturing moments of everyday life and natural landscapes. Artists like Edgar Degas began using pastels for finished works, experimenting with the medium by combining wet and dry pastels to create unique textures and contrasts. Manufacturers like La Maison du Pastel, founded in 1720 by the French artist, chemist, and pharmacist Henri Roché, provided artists like Degas with high-quality pastels in an expansive range of hues. By 1887, these handmade pastels offered more than 500 colors, giving Impressionist artists the freedom to explore light and color in innovative ways—a hallmark of the movement. Today, La Maison du Pastel continues this tradition, producing handcrafted pastels and expanding their catalog to over 2,000 shades. These innovations in pastel continue to inspire artists to bring their creativity to life.
Edgar Degas, The Rehearsal On Stage, 1874
La Maison du Pastel, rolling paste into sticks.
The journey of pastels through the centuries has been rich and varied, from their humble beginnings in prehistoric cave drawings to their refined production in contemporary art. Though the medium has evolved many times, what remains constant is the desire to create and innovate, transforming not only the medium itself but the art itself. Pastels have adapted to reflect each era’s artistic movements, bringing together the timeless connection between ancient and modern creativity. Today, they continue to capture the instinct of art-making across time.
Join us at the Brea Gallery For
99 Voices in Pastel:
Pastel Society of the West Coast
On view till December 6th, 2024
To Learn More Check Out These Links
How This 300- Year-Old Pastel Stick Maker Creates Nearly 2,000 Colors
Bibliography
1. “A Brief History of Pastel.” Pastel Artists Canada. Pastelartists.ca. https://www.pastelartists.ca/history-of-pastels/.
2. “Anatomy of a Pastel.” Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, 14 Dec. 2020. Accessed 3 Nov. 2024. https://www.famsf.org/stories/anatomy-of-a-pastel-3.
3. “Great Works: Head Study for St John the Evangelist, c. 1579, by Federico Barocci.” The Independent, 28 Mar. 2013. Accessed 3 Nov. 2024. https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/art/great-works/great-works-head-study-for-st-john-the-evangelist-c1579-by-federico-barocci-8553718.html.
4. “Isatis tinctoria.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia, Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed 3 Nov. 2024. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isatis_tinctoria.
5. Domingo, I., and Chieli, A. “Characterizing the pigments and paints of prehistoric artists.” Archaeol Anthropol Sci 13 (2021): 196. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-021-01397-y.
6. Friedman, Vanessa. “The Revival of La Maison du Pastel.” The New York Times, 14 Nov. 2022. Accessed 3 Nov. 2024. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/14/fashion/craftsmanship-la-maison-du-pastel.html.
7. La Maison du Pastel. Accessed 3 Nov. 2024. https://lamaisondupastel.com/home.php?lang=en.
8. “Magdalenian Culture.” Encyclopaedia Britannica, Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. Accessed 3 Nov. 2024. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Magdalenian-culture.
9. The Female Figure Holding a Shield (Roman Copy of Greek Work). Harvard Art Museums. Accessed 3 Nov. 2024. https://harvardartmuseums.org/tour/497/slide/11234.
10. Shelley, Marjorie. “The Rise of Pastel in the Eighteenth Century,” 5 Jul. 2011. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. https://www.metmuseum.org/articles/the-rise-of-pastel-in-the-eighteenth-century.
11. “The Age of Pastel.” Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History, The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Accessed 3 Nov. 2024. https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/dgsp/hd_dgsp.htm.
12. “The Lamentation (from the Descent from the Cross).” The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Accessed 3 Nov. 2024. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/436156.
13. “The Unicorn Tapestries: The Unicorn in Captivity.” The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Accessed 3 Nov. 2024. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/439272.
14. Volpe, Christopher. “The Surprising History of Pastels,” 30 May 2022. Inside Art, Streamline Publishing. https://streamlinepublishing.com/inside-art/the-surprising-history-of-pastels/.
15. Woolwich, Madlyn-Ann C. “Historical Foundations in Pastel,” 1998. Artshow.com. https://artshow.com/apow/history.html.
16. Whitlum-Cooper, Francesca. “The Eighteenth-Century Pastel Portrait,” September 2010. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/papo/hd_papo.htm#:~:text=The%20earliest%20finished%20pastels%20in,medium%20(2007.360;%202007.361).
17. The World of Interiors. La Maison du Pastel. Accessed 3 Nov. 2024. https://lamaisondupastel.com/documents/The_World_of_Interiors.pdf.
