The Editors on English art, Betty Cuningham Gallery, Impressionism, the National Symphony Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic & more from the world of culture.
How the surprising, saturated colors in the turn-of-the-century paintings Matisse and others created in the South of France changed the face of Western art.
Colour is the first impression that hits the senses on entering the Gabrielle Jungels-Winkler Galleries at the Royal Academy to see 'Impressionists on Paper: Degas to Toulouse-Lautrec'. Easily spotted across the first gallery space is Edgar Degas' vividly colourful Dancer Seen from Behind (c.1873) created in essence (diluted oil paint), on a bright raspberry-coloured, pink prepared paper. Right next to it is his equally riveting Dancer Yawning (Dancer Stretching), from the same year, also painted in essence on a lush, green prepared paperboard. The two works capture the essence (pun not intended) of what this exhibition is about. The elevation and gaining popularity of works on paper in France from the 1870s through artists' access to new art materials; commercially-made paper and paperboard – cheaper than handmade paper - in a variety of colours, pure colour pigment in portable metal tubes, conté crayons, chalks, graphite, charcoals, gouache, tempera and waterco