WILLIAMSTOWN, MA -  Pastel has long been embraced as an exceptionally versatile and effective drawing technique. The Art of the Pastel at the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute will feature eleven works by Edgar Degas, Jean-François Millet, Camille Pissarro, Mary Cassatt, and others. The pastels will be on view November 22, 2008, through February 16, 2009.

The Art of the Pastel  highlights the range of styles and subjects explored by nineteenth-century artists using this delicate yet spirited technique. Included are Méry Laurent Wearing a Small Toque by Édouard Manet; Entrance of the Masked Dancers by Edgar Degas; Boulevard de Clichy, Effect of Winter Sunlight by Camille Pissarro; Portrait of Mrs. Cyrus J. Lawrence with Grandson R. Lawrence Oakley, Simone in a White Bonnet, and Child in a Red Hat by Mary Cassatt; Little Girl with a Pear by Frederick Childe Hassam; Madame Maugey-Rosengart and a Dog in an Interior by Edouard Vuillard; The Sower by Jean-François Millet; and Portrait of William W. Gilbert and Portrait of Catherine Casine Gilbert attributed to James Sharples.

A favored medium for portraiture since the eighteenth century, the pastel crayon—composed of vibrant pigments and gum-based binders—produces colored lines with fluidity and flexibility, allowing artists to create quickly conceived, luminous designs which can then be manipulated through layering, smudging, and blending. The resultant image, while similar in effect to a finished oil painting, can be extremely fragile due to the powdery nature of the medium.

The Clark’s outstanding collection of pastels has been an important feature since the museum’s founding. From Sterling and Francine Clark’s purchase of Entrance of the Masked Dancers in 1927, to the addition of Pissarro’s Boulevard de Clichy in 1996, the collection has expanded to include key works by prominent artists in the medium, exploring the art of the pastel as it was practiced throughout the nineteenth century. The Clark has more than 5,000 prints, drawings, and photographs, which are available for viewing in the print study room by advance appointment. To schedule an appointment, call (413) 458-0560 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . 

About the Clark

In 1950 Sterling and Francine Clark chartered the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute as a home for their extensive art collection. Opened to public in 1955, the Institute has built upon this extraordinary group of works to become one of the most beloved and respected art museums in the world, known for its intimate galleries and stunning natural environment. One of the few institutions in the United States that combines a public art museum with a complement of research and academic programs, including a major art history library, the Clark is now a leading international center for research and discussion on the nature of art and art history. Building upon the founders' legacy, the Institute has recently unveiled its master plan for the twenty-first century, which fosters the Clark's commitment to providing space for its expanding research and museum programs while maintaining the unique character of its beautiful rural setting.

The Clark is located at 225 South Street in Williamstown, Massachusetts. The galleries are open Tuesday through Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm (daily in July and August). Admission is free November through May. Admission June 1 through October 31 is $12.50 for adults, free for children 18 and younger, members, and students with valid ID. For more information, call 413-458-2303 or visit www.clarkart.edu .