Fascinating drawings on blue paper

Blue paper was first mentioned in 1389 in Bologna. The drawing ground, also known as »Italian paper«, was originally used to create a neutral ground for pastels. Light and shadow could be better accentuated on a blue ground than on conventional paper. Blue paper became a trend, particularly in Venice. It was expensive to produce and required different drawing techniques, which is why it became an expression of an artist's particular sophistication and commercial success. North of the Alps, the paper's popularity was mainly due to Albrecht Dürer, who was already famous during his lifetime and spent time in Venice from 1505 to 1507. Blue paper remained a sought-after drawing surface until the 18th century. The exhibition Drawing on Blue, on show at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, takes a deeper look at the subject: Chapters are devoted not only to the technical intricacies and artistic significance, but also to the paper's manufacturing process. The exhibits can be viewed from January 30 to April 28.

One chapter in particular deals with Jean-Baptiste Oudry (1686-1755). Blue paper was his trademark in 18th century France. In the 1730s, Oudry produced almost 300 illustrations for a collection of fables, all on blue paper. Some of them are included in the exhibition, which also features Johann Wolfgang Baumgartner, Bartolomeo Cincani, Annibale Carracci, Claude Gellée, Bartholomäus Spranger and Jacob Adriaensz. Backer. The 18th century marked the height of the popularity of blue paper, it was used by wealthy people for writing and books were also printed on a blue ground. With the rise of classicist tendencies in art, which put an end to the extravagant Rococo, the demand for blue paper also declined. Simple outline drawings on a white background after John Flaxman (1755-1826) came into fashion at the end of the 18th century.