Patriotic Jewel Flowers c. 1940s

Rolf Armstrong made this pastel drawing, Patriotic Jewel Flowers, at an undetermined time. It’s hard not to notice the soft glow of the pastel, which makes the model seem almost lit from within. I see a lot of blending and smudging, especially in her skin and hair, and that softness gives it a dreamy, idealized quality. Looking closely, you can see the layering of colors in the red, white and blue scarf. The way the pastel is applied in short, almost feathery strokes, gives the whole image a sense of movement, like a gentle breeze is blowing through the scene. The drawing is so smooth that the texture of the pastel almost disappears. It's a controlled style. I see a kinship to pin-up art, it’s the kind of image Vargas might have made. Just as in pin-up art, the drawing is less about the reality of the figure and more about creating a feeling, a mood of idealized beauty and patriotism. It's not really my thing, but I appreciate how the artist used the pastel medium to create something so smooth and dreamy.