Rosalba Carriera, 'Portrait of a Man', 1720s

An unknown man looks out from this portrait with a self-assured stare. His rosy lips, soft eyes and pale, youthful complexion are framed by a curly white wig that falls down his back. It is held in place with a neat black ribbon, as was fashionable for wealthy gentleman of the time. His grey jacket has an embroidered brocade trim, and he wears a crisp white shirt and cravat under it.

Carriera was not only the most celebrated pastellist of the eighteenth century, but also the most successful female artist of her generation. She used pastel crayons on paper to create soft, luminous portraits that have a luxurious appearance. A native of Venice, her international clientele – mainly British, French and German travellers passing through on their Grand Tour – provided her with a lifelong source of commissions. Her pastel portraits became as important a souvenir of a visit to Venice as Batoni’s portraits were in Rome.

This gentleman, however, is more likely to be a Venetian sitter, since his portrait remained in that city until the late nineteenth century. Carriera probably painted his portrait during the 1720s, when she was at the height of her career: the colours are delicate and subtly blended and the sitter’s facial expression hints at his character and mood. Many of her works are highly coloured, but here she has used a restricted, silvery palette. The elegant young man appears to almost blend into the background, apart from the subtle powder blue glow that surrounds him.

This is our only painting by Carriera. It is one of very few works by women artists in the National Gallery’s collection, alongside paintings by Artemisia Gentileschi, Rachel Ruysch and Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun.