Pair of Gouache on Paper

Age: 19th Century / 1801 - 1900

19th Century / 1801 - 1900

Subject: Human Figures

Artistic technique: Painting

La pittura è l'arte che consiste nell'applicare dei pigmenti a un supporto come la carta, la tela, la seta, la ceramica, il legno, il vetro o un muro. Essendo i pigmenti essenzialmente solidi, è necessario utilizzare un legante, che li porti a uno stadio liquido, più fluido o più denso, e un collante, che permetta l'adesione duratura al supporto. Chi dipinge è detto pittore o pittrice. Il risultato è un'immagine che, a seconda delle intenzioni dell'autore, esprime la sua percezione del mondo o una libera associazione di forme o un qualsiasi altro significato, a seconda della sua creatività, del suo gusto estetico e di quello della società di cui fa parte.

Technical specification: Gouache

The gouache is a type of colour paint, made heavier and more opaque with the addition of a white pigment (for example, white lead or chalk) mixed with gum Arabic (a time was a favorite of the tragacanth). The result is a color more opaque and brighter than the normal color of tempera. The term can also refer to both the technique of painting, that the paintings made with this type of color. It spread in France in the EIGHTEENTH century, even if of most ancient origin, being already in use in the Europe of the SIXTEENTH century, and was used mainly for preparatory sketches of the work oil. The gouache, in fact, seen at a certain distance, looks like oil painting, and drying takes a tone pearly white's that contains. In the NINETEENTH century it spread more because of the use in the production of the billboards. With the gouache, however, it is difficult to find the right shade because, when it dries, the colors undergo any appreciable change (usually dark shades tend to become lighter and light areas to darken); the difficulties are accentuated further if the job is run repeatedly. Another problem is the risk of microfissures if the pigment is spread in layers that are too thick, the drawback can be alleviated by means of thickening as the acquapasto. Can be very effective when applied to colored paper, as for example in the works of William Turner. The gouache is the first type of color and still the most used for the production of decals, and for the sets.