This is an original pastel called Pears. It is a simple study of a pitcher and two pears, in an impressionistic style. The loose handling and unblended strokes are qualities associated with Impressionism, as are the objects' being cut off at the edges of the image, a device particularly used by Degas. The Impressionists were very influenced by Japanese prints, which were imported to Europe for the first time in the mid-19th century. Japanese prints also had a flat, non-illusional quality that the Impressionists admired. The newly developed process of photography also influenced their compositions; again, objects were often cut off at the edges of the frame in a seemingly casual fashion, particularly in street scenes and candid photos, not so much in studio photography. The color used here are also more impressionistic in nature - not chosen so much for their tonal value, as for their coloristic relationships (based more on violet than on black). This pastel is professionally framed with a light neutral matte and a wood gilt frame.
