Portrait of Maria Frederike van Reede-Athlone at Seven Years of Age 1756

Jean-Étienne Liotard created this portrait of Maria Frederike van Reede-Athlone at Seven Years of Age in 1755 or 1756. It's a pastel drawing on parchment, a medium that gives the image a soft, almost dreamlike quality. The composition centres on the young girl, depicted in a rich blue velvet cloak lined with white fur. Her gaze is directed to the right, creating a sense of movement and anticipation. The colour palette is restrained, dominated by blues, whites, and the warm tones of her skin, contributing to the work's serene atmosphere. Liotard's mastery lies in his ability to capture textures – the smoothness of the girl's skin, the plushness of the fur, and the sheen of the velvet. The effect is not merely representational; it invites us to consider the artwork as an object of sensory experience. This invites us to think about how the materiality of the artwork and the historical context of portraiture combine to communicate ideas about class, status and representation.