Back in November, I was introduced to Whistler’s pastels in the form of The Beadstringers. I wasn’t aware of Whistler’s pastels and was blown away by how expressive and beautiful they are. We’re all familiar with some of James Abbott McNeill Whistler’s well-known works like this iconic beauty:

 

 

and this gorgeous painting (I could do a blog post on this alone!):

 

 

But pastels???

 

My introduction to Whistler’s pastels all started when artist Casey Klahn (fabulous pastel colourist) posted The Beadstringers on the Pastel Society of America’s Facebook page. Here it is:

 

In this painting, women string Murano glass beads to make a living. What struck me first was the way Whistler divided the paper into approximately thirds lengthwise with the centre third being where the focus, detail, and the most pastel lies. The pastel is laid on most thickly in this third, creating a balanced pattern of colour from the sky, down through the building, then the seated figures in the background, and finally, the pavement of the alley itself.

The other aspect that struck me immediately was the cool colours of the pastels he used – whites, greens and blues – against the warm orangey-brown paper revealing the cool inner life of the alley created by the shadows thrown by the warm-coloured stone buildings. Look at how much paper shows through and how Whistler used the paper as a dominant colour. You can see the paper even in the shadows of the front woman’s dress! Wonderful!! This is a lot more difficult to do than you might think which is why I comment on it.

There is a definite feeling of depth into the picture as the figures recede into the alleyway. The beadstringers are loosely described with the front left woman, arm in the air, giving us the most obvious clue as to what is happening. A line of men seated on stools in the background, at a bar perhaps, lounge around while the women work (!). Laundry hangs in the background and out of the windows on the right while the lines of a shutter add interest on the left. So much is shown with so little.

 

After seeing this pastel, I had to search out more. Some of Whistler’s loveliest ones were done on an art trip he took to Venice. Rather than bombard you with a whole bunch, I chose a couple of the thin vertical ones, done in a similar format to The Beadstringers. Another time, I’ll show you others because they surely are worth seeing!

 

 

Compared to The Beadstringers, this pastel is much more ethereal, less solid, and certainly has a thinner coating of pastel. Laundry blows in the breeze between the buildings and a figure scurries off in the distance. Pale blue is used in the sky, the buildings, and walkway, with white on the right wall and the laundry, and pale pink on alternating walls. There is the tiniest bit of reddish brown accentuating the disappearing figure. As in The Beadstringers, the paper forms a warm foundation for the cool colours on top. So much is only suggested.

 

 

In The Venetian Street, figures are lightly drawn in and some only partially completed with pastel. It almost seems as if the front figures, men, are playing cards or perhaps drinking tea or coffee while in the distance, a group of women have gathered to work or chat. It’s difficult to tell if the archway holds a space to travel beneath the buildings above or if it bounds a brick wall. Even with so little depicted, we can feel the mood and life of the place.

 

 

This doesn’t follow the same vertical format but I decided to slip in anyway as I find it so delightful. Again, buildings and figures reveal the characteristic look of Venice as does the sparkling canal beyond which is framed by the portico leading beneath the building – a picture within a picture. I love the way the two figures in the windows are depicted, one in pastel and one only the colour of the paper surrounded by black pastel. Note how the three windows and shutters are rendered in different ways, ie each shutter isn’t exactly the same as the next even though in reality, they probably were pretty much the same. The two women leaning over the well seem to be talking, we can only guess at what about. Perhaps they are exchanging confidences as they work.

This pastel as well as The Beadstringers, include Whistler’s monogram signature of a stylized butterfly based on his initials. He placed this butterfly carefully, as a part of the whole design. To see the evolution of his mark, click here.

 

 

 

James McNeill Whistler (1834-1903) left for Venice in September 1879, a forty-five year old, bankrupt artist. He had been given a commission (with a deposit) by the Fine Arts Society, a commercial gallery in London, to produce 12 etchings and he hoped this would improve his financial situation. The original plan of staying in Venice for three months stretched to another year and he returned to London in November 1880 with almost 50 etchings, a few paintings and nearly 100 pastels, far exceeding what had been expected of him. In 1881, he exhibited much of this work at the Fine Art Society in an exhibition entitled, Venice Pastels, where they sold very well.

 

If you want to know more about Whistler, you’ll find a rather full and interesting bio at Wikipedia.

 

I’d love to hear what you think about Whistler’s pastels in particular The Beadstringers. Were you as surprised as I to discover the work or did you already know of it?

 

Thanks for spending this time with me,

 

~ Gail

 

 

PS. My brother and his lovely family visited us overnight on the 1st of January – a great way to start the year. Here are my two beautiful nieces tucked up for the night!