Study of the portrait 

This pastel drawing by Maurice Quentin de La Tour, a prominent French portraitist of the 18th century, is a study of a woman's face. The artist's skillful use of pastel creates a delicate, almost ethereal quality. The subject's soft features and gentle expression are captured with remarkable detail, emphasizing the sitter's youthful beauty. De La Tour was known for his mastery of pastel, using the medium to achieve a level of realism and subtlety rarely seen in other portrait artists of his time. The soft blending of pastel colors evokes a sense of intimacy and captures the nuances of the subject's skin tones. This "study" piece likely served as preparatory work for a larger portrait, highlighting the artist's meticulous approach to his craft.