Pastel on board
55 x 45 cm
Signed lower right
Juliaan Severin studied at The Royal Academy of Fine Arts of Brussels and completed his formal studies in Paris. Both cities were key avant-garde hubs at the turn of the century and fostered the progression of Neo-Impressionism, Post-Impressionism and Symbolism, amongst others. Severin is clearly looking and engaging with these movements and this work shows a clear debt to artists such as Van Gogh, Degas and Levy-Dhurmer.
Pastel grew in popularity in the latter part of the 19th century and was favoured by artists such as these as they provided a greater immediacy and freshness, which went hand-in-hand with their new artistic approach. Severin’s Divisionist, staccato mark-making excites the eye here and the work appears to shimmer.
