Portrait of a Woman
1670
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1670
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
This painting shows a woman wearing a white lace collar and dark dress. Her face is calm, with soft pink cheeks. The artist used tiny colored glass melted onto metal. Enamel paint keeps colors bright for centuries, unlike fragile watercolor. Petitot was famous for these tiny, glowing portraits. He worked in Paris and London before settling in Geneva. Enamel needs many careful layers, baked in a hot oven. See more of his work at The Cleveland Museum of Art.
