Study to the portrait of Jean Le Rond d'Alembert 

Curator: We're standing before "Study to the portrait of Jean Le Rond d'Alembert" by Maurice Quentin de La Tour. It’s a pastel work depicting a man in mid-profile. Editor: It feels remarkably intimate. The artist has captured a fleeting moment of thought, hasn't he? The rendering seems almost incomplete. Is this a study? Curator: Indeed. The title itself suggests a preparatory sketch for a larger portrait. But notice the economy of the lines; each stroke contributes to the overall form. Observe the luminosity created through subtle layering and blending of pastel pigments. The surface has a lovely density that draws the eye, yet it feels like a momentary apparition, ephemeral almost. Editor: As a materialist, I'm interested in La Tour's choice of pastel. It suggests a different working method compared to oils – direct and immediate. Were pastels more accessible, or were they associated with certain social classes at that time? It also strikes me, the raw pigment that leaves traces, the dust. We can almost envision him applying these sticks directly to paper in layers. The man almost emerges from the background, he is built on this colored material and the background feels as though it has come off his shoulders to highlight his face. Curator: That immediacy certainly aligns with the Rococo emphasis on capturing fleeting moments and sensations, a move towards naturalism of the human spirit. The pastel medium, prized for its softness and brilliance, aided in rendering the delicate textures of skin, hair, and fabric, allowing for a nuanced depiction of personality and interiority. D'Alembert emerges before us! Editor: This pastel reveals as much about 18th-century artistry and labor as it does about D'Alembert himself. Knowing it's a preliminary work shifts our perspective; it opens a window into La Tour’s creative process itself – and how the making informs the image. Curator: Quite right. Perhaps the sketch contains an energy absent from the final portrayal. Editor: For me, it invites an appreciation for the hand that produced it, from raw pigments ground down into use. Curator: Absolutely. An astute encounter! Editor: A revealing meeting, to say the least.