Sennelier oil pastels were created in 1949 after Pablo Picasso requested a wax colour stick that could be used freely on a variety of surfaces without fading or cracking. Originally available in a palette of classic hues, the colour selection was expanded with the addition of metallic and iridescent hues. Sennelier oil pastels possess an extraordinarily high pigment content, thus providing them with a high colouring and covering potential, excellent brightness and a high degree of light stability.