Profile of a Woman 1919

Jozsef Rippl-Ronai created this drawing using pastel sticks, a medium that offers a direct, tactile connection with the artwork’s surface. Pastels sit between painting and drawing, composed of pure pigment, they deliver intense color. Rippl-Ronai’s technique involves layering these sticks, creating a soft, almost hazy effect, perfect for capturing the delicate contours of the woman’s profile and the subtle gradations of light on her skin. The powdery nature of pastels allows for blending and feathering, contributing to the work’s ethereal quality. Consider the labor involved, both in creating the pastels themselves, and in the artist's delicate application to build form and evoke mood. It reminds us that artistic expression is always rooted in material reality. This piece bridges the gap between the immediacy of drawing and the nuanced color of painting.