Sketch and final.
When I first saw this portrait of Louis Pasteur in Musée d´Orsay, Paris years ago I had not heard of the author Albert Edelfelt. The painting made a lasting impression on me. Great execution in every way. Composition, color and ciarosuro. Years later I happened to see the preliminary oil sketch in the Ateneum Art Museum, Helsinki. What a discovery!
Compare the sketch to the final artwork and you see how the work has risen to great heights.
Cool blog!
Thanks Timothy.
Ben