Three Women

Three Women, 1974, by R.C. Gorman rendered in oil pastel presents a tender mother-and-child scene with a third figure visible in the composition. A woman kneels while holding a small child, both draped in brilliantly saturated blankets—the mother’s saffron yellow and the child’s pale lavender create a striking chromatic contrast. The soft blending of the oil pastel medium yields luminous skin tones and voluminous fabric forms. The neutral gray background allows the figures and their textiles to radiate. The 1974 date reflects Gorman’s active experimentation with this medium, which enabled the rich color and sensuous surface quality visible here. A gallery-quality three-dimensional experience for collectors seeking Gorman’s finest works in oil pastel.