The Golden Hour: A Poetic Return in Oil Pastels by Laura Bernardeschi Nelson

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Title: The Golden Hour of Her Return
Artist: Laura Bernardeschi Nelson
Medium: Oil Pastels on Paper
Materials: Professional oil pastels on heavyweight acid-free paper
Dimensions:

• Artwork Size: 36 x 38 cm
• Framed Size: 46 x 36 cm
  Framed: Yes – sold framed as shown
  Finish: Sealed with archival matte varnish for preservation
  Signed: Signed on front and back
  Certificate of Authenticity: Included

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Description

The Golden Hour of Her Return captures a fleeting, poetic moment of reappearance—of a woman stepping into the golden forest at dusk, as if the trees themselves had been waiting. Dressed in deep green with scarlet beads at her collar, she appears both real and mythical, a figure suspended between worlds. Leaves float down like gentle confetti, glowing in the firelit hues of late sun. Snow, or perhaps memory, drifts through the air in soft white specks.

Inspired by the mystery and ornament of Gustav Klimt’s The Magic of the Forest, this piece blends the decorative with the emotional. The scene feels timeless—like a memory or a passage from a forgotten fairy tale where someone you loved returns just before the light fades.

She holds red flowers in one hand, a shadowed satchel in the other. Has she returned home—or is she leaving once again?

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Artist’s Statement

This piece began with color before it became a story. I wanted the forest to feel alive and warm, lit from within, like it had its own breath. The figure emerged instinctively, and once she appeared, I followed her. There’s something about Klimt’s ornamental balance—his golden light and patterned shadows—that whispers to me when I work.

This painting is about return, about coming back to the self through nature and memory. I wanted it to feel like a scene from a half-remembered dream—where time slows, and something sacred stirs in the stillness.

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Emotional Tone

The Golden Hour of Her Return evokes quiet wonder, longing, and gentle magic. There’s a peaceful resolve to the woman’s posture, and a sense of renewal that flickers through the glowing trees. This is a painting of dusk and memory, of stepping into beauty without needing a reason.

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Technique & Materials

Created using richly pigmented oil pastels on professional acid-free paper, this piece features intricate textures and layers of blended tones to create atmospheric depth. Every element—from falling leaves to the folds of the dress—was shaped by hand and intuition. Finished with archival matte varnish to protect and preserve its vibrancy.

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Styling Suggestions

Ideal for cozy reading nooks, creative spaces, or anywhere in the home where softness and introspection are welcome. The warm amber and deep green palette pairs beautifully with wooden furniture, vintage accents, and soft, ambient lighting. Perfect alongside other narrative or symbolic works.