Preparation to the portrait of Mrs. Rougeau 

Maurice Quentin de La Tour captured this likeness of Mrs. Rougeau using pastel on paper. This was a popular medium in the 18th century, and it is easy to see why. Pastels are pure pigment, the same that would go into an oil paint, but instead of being bound with linseed oil, they’re held together with just enough gum or resin to form a stick. The result is a velvety, matte surface that catches the light beautifully. The artist applies the pastel stick directly to the paper, building up layers of color through hatching and blending. Because the pigment is so close to the surface, pastels have a unique immediacy and vibrancy. But this also makes them fragile. This work is inherently intimate and demands that we consider the skill of the artist, and the social context in which Mrs. Rougeau lived. It is a reminder that even the most refined artworks are rooted in material processes.