Marguerite Carrière
1890
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1890
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
This painting shows a close-up of a person’s face, mostly in shades of gray and white. The skin looks smooth but slightly rough, with a soft collar peeking at the neck. The eyes are dark and still, and the mouth is slightly open, giving a quiet, serious look. The painting uses mostly shadows and light to shape the face, with little detail in the background. This style was meant to focus on mood over sharp features. Next, look up chiaroscuro to see how artists use light and shadow like this.
