Eighteenth-Century Pastel Portraits
July 28, 2017
| Pastel portraiture flourished in 18th-century Europe owing to the medium's distinctive optical properties-its brilliant colors and warm glow. The powdery nature of pastel crayons allowed artists to bathe their sitters in flattering light. This exhibition draws from a small but important group of French, Italian, German, and British pastels in the Museum's collection. Examining works by Rosalba Carriera, Charles Antoine Coypel, Adélaïde Labille-Guiard, and other leading portraitists, it explores the rising popularity of pastel in conjunction with artistic practices and technological advances of the day. |  Gustavus Hamilton, 2nd Viscount Boyne, in Masquerade Costume by Rosalba Carriera |
| The exhibition runs from July 26-October 29, 2017 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art 1000 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10028. To learn more about this exhibition, please click here. | |
