Blue paper was first adopted by Italian artists in the 15th century, particularly in the region of Venice, but its use quickly spread throughout the rest of Europe. In contrast to the starkness of white paper, blue served as a subtle mid-tone, ideal for exploring shade, volume, and the contrast between light and dark. Artists often employed blue paper for figure or sculpture studies, as they grappled with the representation of three-dimensional objects on a flat surface.
Blue paper could be created in various ways: the pulp could be made of macerated blue textiles mixed with rags of other colors, thus producing ‘variegated’ paper (the majority of the papers in this display). Alternatively, a blue dye could be added to the vat of pulp during the papermaking process, or a finished sheet of white paper could be dip-dyed in a blue solution. Blue paper could also be created by brushing blue wash across a white sheet.
Blue paper is especially prone to fading and discoloration, often now appearing brown, grey, buff or green. It is therefore unlikely we are viewing any of these drawings as they would have looked originally, and so we must consider how this affects our understanding of their intended use and appearance. This display presents a selection of drawings on blue paper, mainly drawn from the Courtauld Gallery’s collection, demonstrating the range of functions and variations of blue employed by artists from across Europe over several centuries. The selection includes two notable Dutch drawings Seated female nude by Govaert Flinck and Pieter Saenredam’s South ambulatory of Sint Bavokerk (1634).
The exhibition is curated by Rachel Hapoienu.