WHAT ARE PASTELS?
Pastels do not refer to pale colors as the word is commonly used in cosmetic and fashion terminology. The name ”pastel” comes from the French word pastische, meaning paste. Pastels are composed of a pure powdered pigment ground into a paste along with a small amount of gum binder. The infinite variety of colors in the pastel palette range from soft and subtle to hard and brilliant.
Historically, pastels can be traced back to the 16th century. Its invention is attributed to the German painter Johann Thiele. Thereafter, a galaxy of famous artists -- among them Degas, Copley, Delacroix, Millet, Manet, Renoir, Toulouse Lautrec and Whistler -- used pastels for their finished works rather than for preliminary sketches.
Recently, Sotheby’s sold at auction a Degas pastel for $7,500,000! Created over 120 years ago, this painting is as fresh and alive today as the day it was painted.
Care & Framing of Pastel Paintings
Pastel paintings are very resilient and will retain their brilliance for decades as long as they are properly protected. Displaying the painting framed under glass with archival-quality matting materials provides this necessary protection. As with all valuable paintings and photographs, your pastel painting should be hung in a location which avoids direct sunlight and extremes in heat or humidity.
One of the reasons pastel paintings are so beautiful is their color brilliance. Because the use of layers of fixatives dulls this brilliance, they are not used in the final stage of painting. Be aware that the surface is fragile and will smear if touched. Also, in the process of moving or shipping a painting, you may find a small amount of pastel dust has become dislodged from the surface of the painting. Do not worry -- this is typical and in no way affects the quality of your painting nor its value.
Framing Your Pastel Painting
It is strongly recommended that you work with a professional framer. He or she should use an acid-free, Fome Cor spacer with a slightly bigger window than the beveled mat (one-quarter inch) that’s attached to the underside of the mat. This unseen spacer separates the mat and the painting and allows any pastel dust to fall behind the mat. Properly matted and framed, you will enjoy your pastel painting for many decades to come.
