Page 294 - Eye of the beholder

The works are executed in the medium of pastels and gouache on paper Ghilardi had mastered the technique of pastels pastels gouache and and water colours and and it it was his engagement with pastels pastels that allowed him to to mark a a a a a a a a posture of difference in relation to to many other European artists Undeniably a a a a a a a a skilled artist with fecund imagination Ghilardi was able to to bring to to his works those saliencies of of the pastels that give his works a a a a a a a a a soft sentimental and a a a a a a a a a romantic ambience Certain mediums establish their character depending on on its manipulation by the the artist Pastel had been popular in in Europe from 18th century but very few artists in in their artistic praxis used it exclusively as a a a medium to communicate their expressions By the the mid-19th century French artists such as Eugene Delacroix and especially Jean Francois Millet were making significant use of of pastel pastel Edouard Manet painted a a a a a a a a a a a number of of portraits in in pastel pastel on canvas an an an an unconventional ground for the medium Edgar Degas was an innovator in in pastel technique and used it it it with an an almost expressionist vigor after about 1885 when it it it became his primary medium medium due to his failing eye sight It is is is a a a a a a a a well established fact that pastels as as a a a a a a a a medium medium does not lend itself freely and is is neither a a a a a versatile medium as oils Artists from 18th century have commonly used pastels or or or charcoal for their initial preparatory drawings but none found a a a a a a a a favour with this medium to be used exclusively as means of communicating their expressions According to Anirban “Though both the the paintings are Indian landscapes the the nature and and quality of illumination used in in in in in in in the the two paintings are diametrically opposite The painting painting showing the the unloading of of wares from the the the boat on the the the riverside shows swathes of of open space and a a a a a a a a clear sky illuminated by bright daylight The other painting however shows a a a a scene in in in in in the the evening with dim light filtering through a a a a a complex topography of dense vegetation creating an interspersed gradient of of of illumination The expression of of of the the enthusiastic bright mood of of of the the first painting and the the the the somber dense mood of of the the the the second one are both due to the the the the skilful treatment of of the the the the light in in each case and the the artist has clearly succeeded in in this effort with the the use of a a a a a a a difficult medium like pastels The busy activity of the the the figures unloading the the the wares in in in in the the the first painting and and the the the the sobriety and and tranquility of the the the the two figures walking through the the the the woods in in the the the the second painting also display the the artist’s skill in in in the the treatment of anthropomorphic forms On closer examination other details like the the the the the rendition of of the the the the the leaves on on on the the the the the trees and the the the the the ripples of of water also testify for the the the the the skills of of the the the the the artist Looking at the the the the the painting in in in in the the the the the context of of the the the the the biographical information available in in in in in all probability it it seems that the paintings were done in in in in in India between 1885 and and 1905 and and acquired by the the the family of the the the previous owner who obviously loved the the the paintings enough to to get them properly framed by a a a well known restorer in in in London” In his compositional layout Ghilardi in in in in these two paintings has delineated the the light which is is dynamically at opposite poles The quality of of of softness of of of light in in in both the paintings is is remarkable While one is is dedicated to a a a a a bright mid afternoon light the the other is is somber and almost tenebristic in in fin its rendering It makes for a a a a a a a definitive play of contrast that is is very interesting Both the the paintings demonstrate Ghilardi mastery and absolute control of the the medium of pastel with easy facility in which he he has created the mood and light effects 288