It took over three years, at the turn of the 20th Century, to formulate the Sennelier range of Extra Soft Pastels “à l’écu” and thus to create one of the largest chromatic ranges of pastels. Throughout the century, this range of tones has evolved, but the heart of its making remains unchanged.

In 1949, Parisian painter Henri Goetz approached Henri Sennelier, the famous artist materials manufacturer, about creating a wax colour stick for his friend Pablo Picasso. Picasso, a long-time Sennelier customer and a frequent visitor to their store across the street from the Louvre museum, was looking for a medium that could be used freely on a variety of surfaces without fading or cracking. Their collaboration produced the incomparable Sennelier oil pastels. Originally available in a palette of classic hues, the colour selection was expanded with the addition of metallic and iridescent hues.