News:

03-03-2010
Online Annual General Meeting...
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03-03-2010
Winner of February Dusty is...
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26-02-2010
Dusty theme for March...
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17-12-2009
PGE officially with IAPS...
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27-11-2009
Scribbler page updated...
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01-09-2009
Our Sponsor is PanPastels!
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06-05-2009
PGE Formally Founded!
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A brief history of pastels

What Is in a pastel stick?

How long does a pastel painting stay fresh?

History
Pastel crayons, or sticks, are known to have been made already in the 16th century, and pastel painting became extremely popular in the 18th century. The Venetian female artist Rosalba Carriera (1674-1757) became a highly celebrated pastel portraitist at the court of Louis the XV.



Quentin de la Tour (1784-88) followed the example of Rosalba Carriera at the same court, and became even more popular.



The French court of the 18th century loved the matte and velvety surface of pastel paintings, and it was very fashionable to have one's portrait painted in pastel. In year 1780 it is said that there were no less than 2 500 pastel artists - in Paris only! That which was the highest fashion in Paris very rapidly spread to other countries, and there are pastel portraits from the 18th century still hanging on the walls of many palaces and manors.