Paint and Its Surface

Jean-Étienne Liotard

Portrait of Maria Frederike van Reede-Athlone at Seven Years of Age

1755–56

Pastel on vellum, 54.9 × 44.8 cm. J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles

The pastel is laid on vellum, a fine prepared animal skin, and blended with a stump, a pointed blending tool.

• Liotard disliked showing his strokes; look at the face and the velvet, where none can be seen.

Concepts

• Pastel

Image: Getty Open Content (via Wikimedia Commons) · Public domain (PD-Art)