An Artistic Style Originated by a Woman....

In a previous blog, I mentioned an Italian woman, Rosalba Carriera (1675-1757), who was a famous pastel painter. Her fame is even greater than pastel for she is considered the first woman in history to initiate a new style of art. At the time, it was called goût moderne. Today, we refer to the style as "rococo."

Carriera was born in Venice to a government clerk and a lace maker. Her early works were lace patterns, but sometime later she began painting miniature portraits for snuffboxes. The beauty of her miniatures and the loose, spontaneous brushstroke of this new style led to fame and acceptance at the very highest levels. In addition to creating a style of painting, there were many more "firsts" from this talented and innovative artist.

She painted finished portraits with pastels on paper - at a time when pastels were considered ideal for sketching only. She promoted the use of tempera on ivory instead of using vellum. She was such a good artist that she was accepted into the French Royal Academy even though it had previously banned women. She made a very fine living from the commissions she received from monarchy, wealthy patrons and collectors throughout Europe - allowing her to be the sole support of her self, her mother and her unmarried sister. Needless to say, she inspired many other women artists.

Here is a quote from a website regarding one of her paintings:

"... artist Rosalba Carriera is credited with winning respect from the art establishment and favor in the courts for pastel portraiture. Her delicate handling of the pastel medium beautifully captured the Rococo rage for pretty powdered faces and flowing fabrics. In A Young Lady with a Parrot, Carriera used a “dry-brush” technique, dragging her pastel lightly over a contrasting color, to suggest the gauzy material draped across the young lady and clear, wet-chalk accents to realize the lady’s floral hairpiece and jewelry."

Did you know of Carriera? Studied her works? Any pastelists care to comment?