University of Central Florida STARS HIM 1990-2015 2012 The pastel medium communicating sexuality and promiscuity in late nineteenth-century Paris Adee S. Benartzy University of Central Florida Part of the Art and Design Commons Find similar works at: https://stars.library.ucf.edu/honorstheses1990-2015 University of Central Florida Libraries http://library.ucf.edu This Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by STARS. It has been accepted for inclusion in HIM 1990-2015 by an authorized administrator of STARS. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. Recommended Citation Benartzy, Adee S., "The pastel medium communicating sexuality and promiscuity in late nineteenth- century Paris" (2012). HIM 1990-2015. 1771. https://stars.library.ucf.edu/honorstheses1990-2015/1771 THE PASTEL MEDIUM: COMMUNICATING SEXUALITY AND PROMISCUITY IN LATE-NINETEENTH CENTURY PARIS by ADEE S. BENARTZY A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Honors in the Major Program in Art History in the College of Arts and Humanities and in the Burnett Honors College at the University of Central Florida Orlando, Florida Spring Term 2012 Thesis Chair: Dr. Ilenia Colón Mendoza ABSTRACT Throughout the history of art, the pastel medium has been considered a medium of secondary interest. Despite its pulsating textures, vibrant colors, and unique receptivity to touch, this medium has been recognized above all for its swiftness in stroke and subsequent ability of the artist to record images of fleeting moments and ideas almost instantaneously. The focus on the advantageous rapidity of the pastel, however, hindered the pastel medium’s potential as a mere preliminary technique to working with grander mediums, such as oil paint, thus failing to recognize the prominence of pastel in capturing character.