Sennelier Willow Charcoal Sticks - Assorted 4mm - 12mm 20pc

Created for the most discerning artists, these premium quality vine charcoals are made from the finest willow rods. Repeated slow-burning allows non-compressed charcoals to combine the following qualities: a deep black hue, a uniform texture, and a soft, velvety touch.

A boxed pack of the finest English charcoal, made for Sennelier by Coates, UK.

Features:

• Willow Charcoal Sticks

• Assorted pack of widths from 4mm to 12mm 

• 20pc

• Made in the UK

About the Brand

One morning, in April 1887, Gustave Sennelier takes the horse-drawn carriage along the banks of the Seine. Like every day, he passes in front of the shop, selling colour pigments, of Joseph Léon Prévost. He discovers a ‘for rent’ sign in front of the art store on the quai Voltaire. A deal is quickly agreed, and the transfer of the lease is endorsed in the Paris records.

Initially, Sennelier sold paints made by various manufacturers; later he chose to produce his own paints using local pigments and binders procured from his travels across Europe.

Anecdotally, it is believed that Sennelier gained prominence at this time. Art-supply shops were ubiquitous, and Cézanne, Gauguin, and many other artists would shop around in the neighbourhood, in search of specific shades of paint. If Gustave Sennelier didn't stock the colour, he would create it for his painters.

In 1949, Henri Sennelier, Gustave's son, created the first professional-quality oil pastel for Pablo Picasso. Picasso wanted colours he could use on any surface, without any special preparation. In addition to the Cézanne, Gauguin, and Picasso, Vincent van Gogh was also known to have used Sennelier oil paint.

Sennelier is one of just a few companies that still provides dry pigments for sale. While the vast majority of artists today simply buy ready-mixed paints, the range of dry pure pigments offered by the company is quite large, exceeding eighty colours. The artist can then mix the colours into the preferred medium, creating a range of possibilities.