Study to portrait of unknown woman 

Curator: The delicate and intriguing artwork before us is a study for a portrait, aptly titled "Study to portrait of unknown woman," attributed to Maurice Quentin de La Tour. He employed pastel on paper for this image of an unknown woman. Editor: She looks so fleeting, like a memory you're trying to hold onto. There's something dreamlike and ephemeral about it, with those soft edges and the way the color just seems to float. The direct, unfazed gaze is captivating and full of intent, I would say, she wants to tell us something! Curator: Exactly. And the 'study' aspect is crucial. Consider the 18th-century context. Portraiture was power. La Tour's status afforded him access to powerful individuals, women specifically who played central roles in the aristocratic social networks, and thus his portraits hold historical significance. Editor: Absolutely, but here, she isn't a polished portrait of a lady. She has an almost vulnerable quality that gets emphasized by the quickness of the medium and her direct, intimate gaze at the beholder. I almost feel that I am interrupting her, or she is just inviting me in to her interior world! It's so simple and pure; such powerful, and fragile femininity. Curator: And note La Tour's deliberate aesthetic choices. Pastel wasn't considered as high status as oils, which potentially complicates readings of gender and status at play in 18th century France. Consider pastel in relation to artistic academies of the era; gendered notions of artistic genius become so clearly apparent. What can the choice of materials say about La Tour's commitment to the status quo of art, or to a different visual articulation for his sitter? Editor: Well, she makes me question art history a little! In that instant of looking, a whole imagined story flickers—the untold parts are what hold my attention most! This almost unfinished aspect somehow magnifies her allure, and it doesn’t allow any patriarchal narrative take a dominant role. Curator: Precisely. I agree there are myriad interpretations that we could explore to challenge established social structures. I will definitely contemplate on the reading of La Tour and the usage of media in representing marginalized identities... Editor: Definitely a moment for wonder, then. A fleeting moment of grace, before returning to reality.