This article is from Figaro Magazine
It is one of the best hidden treasures of the Musée d'Orsay. The collection of 500 pastels that most often lie dormant in its reserves, is nevertheless among the very first in the world. Only, this delicate medium does not support permanent exhibition. Light, dust and, above all, trepidation are the mortal enemies. From time to time, the tribute to a great master extracts one from his shroud, a Degas, a Redon, but it is quite rare that the institution devotes an entire exhibition to them. The last time was in 2009 ("The Mystery and the Brilliance")!
Could it be because the nineteenth century would have seen the decline of the technique? Not at all. Admittedly, our memories confusingly associate its heyday with the Age of Enlightenment. A Venetian artist, Rosalba Carriera, had spread the fashion during a triumphant stay in Paris, around 1720. The Court had torn away her portraits, the Royal Academy had admitted her into its midst... Harassed whooping cough...
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