Antoine Gaspard Grimold de la Reyniere 

Maurice Quentin de la Tour made this portrait of Antoine Gaspard Grimold de la Reyniere with pastels, a medium that allowed for incredibly subtle gradations of tone. Look closely and you'll see just how meticulously de la Tour has captured the textures of Grimold's clothing. The velvety smoothness of his coat, the delicate frills of his lace cuffs - it's all rendered with breathtaking precision. This wasn't just about showing what someone looked like; it was about showcasing their status, their wealth, their very position in society. Pastels were actually perfectly suited to this task. They allowed for a level of detail that was difficult to achieve with oils, but also required a great deal of skill and patience to master. It speaks to the hierarchies of labor involved, where the artist's expertise translates into a display of luxury and power for the sitter. Consider how materials and the ways they are handled carry social and cultural significance, often blurring the lines between fine art and the craft of representation.