Self-portrait 

Rosalba Carriera painted this self-portrait with pastels, depicting herself adorned with ribbons and pearls, emblems of femininity and status in the 18th century. The pearls, symbols of purity and wealth, remind us of Botticelli's Venus, who also emerged from the sea wearing them. Here, they adorn Carriera, a Venetian artist celebrated across Europe, signaling her accomplished status. The ribbons, more playful, evoke a sense of festivity, yet also bind, subtly suggesting the constraints placed upon women, even successful artists, in her time. Such adornments are not merely decorative; they are charged with cultural memory. They are a silent language, speaking to the viewer about identity, aspiration, and the complex interplay between visibility and constraint. Carriera's knowing gaze, framed by these symbols, invites us to consider the evolving narrative of female representation across centuries.