1789
pastel
canvas
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
A Fashionable Noblewoman Wearing a Plumed Hat is a 1789 pastel by Adélaïde Labille-Guiard, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This portrait shows a woman with light, curly hair styled high under a wide-brimmed hat. The hat has a blue ribbon and a feather sticking up. She wears a light shawl draped over her shoulders and holds a bouquet of small flowers. The background is plain and dark, keeping the focus on her face and clothes. The soft colors and delicate strokes suggest the artist used pastels, a chalky medium. This style was popular for capturing gentle details in clothing and skin. Next, look up pastel to see how artists used this technique to create smooth, blended effects.
Adélaïde Labille-Guiard (née Labille; 11 April 1749 – 24 April 1803), also known as Adélaïde Labille-Guiard des Vertus, was a French miniaturist and portrait painter.
See the richer artist page
