Sennelier: The Parisian Art Supply House That Supplied the Impressionists

Sennelier is one of the most historically significant art supply houses in the world, operating from its shop on the Quai Voltaire in Paris since 1887. The company's location on the Left Bank, steps from the Seine and within walking distance of the Louvre, placed it at the heart of the Parisian art world during one of the most extraordinary periods in the history of painting. Among the artists who purchased their supplies from Sennelier were Paul Cézanne, Pablo Picasso, Paul Gauguin, and many other figures of the Impressionist and Post-Impressionist movements. The company's formulations were developed in direct collaboration with these artists, and the products that resulted from these collaborations remain in production today.

The most famous of these collaborations is the Sennelier oil pastel, which was developed in the 1940s at the request of Pablo Picasso, who wanted a pastel that could be used on any surface without fixative and that would produce rich, intense colour. The oil pastels that Sennelier developed for Picasso became one of the company's signature products and remain among the finest oil pastels available anywhere. The formulation uses a blend of mineral waxes, oils, and pigments that produces a rich, creamy consistency and exceptional colour intensity, and the range covers 120 colours including a selection of iridescent and fluorescent options.

The Honey Watercolours

Sennelier's watercolours are distinguished by the addition of honey to the formulation, a traditional French approach that gives the paints a distinctive handling quality. The honey acts as a humectant, keeping the paint moist and workable for longer than conventional watercolour formulations, and it gives the paint a slight sheen when dry that many watercolourists find beautiful. The honey also contributes to the paint's ability to rewet easily, making it practical to work with dried paint on the palette.

The watercolour range covers more than 100 colours, formulated with the highest quality pigments and a high pigment load that produces intense, luminous colour. The paints are available in tubes and half pans, with a range of sets designed for different working situations. The Sennelier L'Aquarelle range is the professional line and is widely considered one of the finest watercolour ranges available, used by professional watercolourists worldwide.

The honey formulation is not merely a marketing distinction. Artists who have used Sennelier watercolours alongside other professional ranges consistently report that the handling quality is genuinely different, with a smoothness and workability that reflects the honey content. For watercolourists who work in wet-on-wet techniques or who want maximum working time, the Sennelier formulation provides a practical advantage.

Soft Pastels

Sennelier's soft pastels are among the finest available, formulated with a high pigment load and a binder that produces a soft, velvety consistency that blends easily and adheres well to paper. The range covers more than 500 colours, making it one of the most comprehensive soft pastel ranges available from any manufacturer. The colour range includes a full spectrum of hues at multiple value levels, providing the tonal range that professional pastel painters require.

The soft pastels are produced in the traditional French manner, with each stick formed by hand and allowed to dry slowly to ensure consistency. This handcrafted approach produces pastels with a consistency and quality that machine-produced alternatives cannot match, and the range is used by professional pastel painters worldwide.

Oil Paints and Other Media

Sennelier's oil paints are formulated with the same commitment to pigment quality and traditional methods that characterises all of the company's products. The range covers more than 100 colours, with a focus on single pigment formulations and the highest available pigment loads. The paints are produced using safflower oil as the primary binder for lighter colours, which reduces yellowing over time, and linseed oil for darker colours where yellowing is less of a concern.

The company also produces egg tempera, gouache, acrylic, and encaustic materials, reflecting the breadth of its commitment to traditional and contemporary painting media. The egg tempera range is particularly notable, using genuine egg yolk as the binder and producing a paint with the luminous, jewel-like quality that makes genuine egg tempera distinctive.

The Paris Shop

The Sennelier shop on the Quai Voltaire is one of the most atmospheric art supply shops in the world, occupying the same location it has held since 1887. The shop's interior retains much of its original character, with wooden drawers, glass cases, and the accumulated patina of more than 135 years of serving artists. Visiting the Sennelier shop is an experience that connects the visitor to the long history of Parisian art, and it is one of the essential stops for any artist visiting Paris.

The shop stocks the full Sennelier range alongside a selection of other professional art materials, and the staff are knowledgeable about the products and their applications. For artists who want to purchase Sennelier products directly from the source, the Paris shop provides the most complete selection and the most authentic experience.

International Availability

Sennelier products are distributed internationally through specialist art supply retailers. In the UK, they are available through Jackson's Art Supplies, Cass Art, and other professional retailers. In the United States, they are available through Blick Art Materials, Jerry's Artarama, and other specialist retailers. The company also sells directly through its website for customers who prefer to order online.

The Bottom Line

Sennelier is one of the most historically significant and technically distinguished art supply houses in the world, producing oil pastels, watercolours, soft pastels, and oil paints that reflect more than 135 years of collaboration with professional artists and commitment to the highest standards of material quality. For artists who want to work with materials that connect them to the great tradition of Parisian painting and that perform at the highest professional level, Sennelier is an essential part of the palette.