Hippolyte Thom c. 1910

Alice Pike Barney made this portrait, Hippolyte Thom, in 1912, using crayon or pastel. Look at how she’s built up the form with these short, almost scribbled strokes. The color choices, especially the yellows and greens, give it a kind of shimmering life. The beauty of pastels is in their raw, chalky texture. You can see it here, how the strokes sit on the surface, catching the light. The way the colors blend is so delicate, especially around the eyes and mouth. There's a real tenderness to the way she captures his gaze, like she's seeing right through him. Notice that darker, almost smudged line that defines the side of his neck, it has a real energy. There’s a touch of Whistler in her approach, or maybe even a hint of Sargent, but she’s doing her own thing. It's like she's saying, "Here's a portrait, but it's also a feeling, a moment captured in time."