Portrait of a Young Man in Uniform
1794
pastel
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1794
pastel
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
Portrait of a Young Man in Uniform is a 1794 pastel by European 18th Century, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This painting shows a young man in a military uniform. His face is turned slightly toward us, with soft curls framing his forehead. The jacket is blue with a white lace collar, and the cuffs are decorated with red and gold embroidery. His expression is calm, almost serious, and the background is plain and dark. The artist used pastel on blue paper, which gives the colors a soft, slightly smudged look. The focus is on the face and uniform details, like the buttons and lace, which stand out against the dark background. Next, look up pastel to see how artists use soft chalky sticks to create this kind of effect.
