A pochade (from French ''poche'', pocket) is a type of
sketch used in
painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and ai ...
. As opposed to a
croquis
Croquis drawing is quick and sketchy drawing of a live model. Croquis drawings are usually made in a few minutes, after which the model changes pose or leaves and another croquis is drawn. The word ''croquis'' comes from French and means simply ...
, which is line art, a pochade captures the colors and atmosphere of a scene.
Generally, pochades use a small, portable format.
Robert Henri
Robert Henri (; June 24, 1865 – July 12, 1929) was an American painter and teacher.
As a young man, he studied in Paris, where he identified strongly with the Impressionists, and determined to lead an even more dramatic revolt against A ...
and
James Wilson Morrice
James Wilson Morrice (August 10, 1865 – January 23, 1924) was one of the first Canadian landscape painters to be known internationally. He studied at the Académie Julian in Paris, France, where he lived for most of his career. James Morrice S ...
, for example, painted such sketches on small wood panels that would fit in a coat pocket along with
oil paint
Oil paint is a type of slow-drying paint that consists of particles of pigment suspended in a drying oil, commonly linseed oil. The viscosity of the paint may be modified by the addition of a solvent such as turpentine or white spirit, and va ...
tubes. Others artists, such as landscape painter
John Constable, made pochades the size of the intended painting. The French artist
Alphonse Chigot
Alphonse Charles Chigot (1824 – 1917) was a French History painting, historical painter and soldier, particularly associated with the city of Valenciennes where he had a studio for over sixty years. A former soldier in the French army he saw a ...
produced a series of pochades of the towns people of Valenciennes that he sold from his studio which were later collected and publish in two volumes.
[Pierre and Georges Giard (1893), Charges et croquis – collection of caricatures by Chigot]
References
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Drawing