Who painted A young Woman?

A young Woman was painted by Pietro Rotari in 1759-01-01.

Where can I see A young Woman?

A young Woman is held by Rijksmuseum.

What movement is A young Woman?

A young Woman is associated with Rococo painting.

Can I buy a print of A young Woman?

Museum-quality prints of A young Woman are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

A young Woman by Pietro Rotari (1759) · Artifact World Gallery

About this work

Subject & Meaning

Her attire includes a shirt and a bodice with a low décolletage that reveals her cleavage, while a blue flower accents the composition.

Pietro Rotari's portrait depicts a young woman rendered in a half-length format that emphasizes her face and upper torso. The sitter is shown smiling, with arched eyebrows and waist-length hair framing her features. Her attire includes a shirt and a bodice with a low décolletage that reveals her cleavage, while a blue flower accents the composition.

Such smiling, softly modeled bust-length portraits of young women were a signature subject for Rotari, who produced numerous variations on this theme during the mid-eighteenth century. The intimate scale and direct, gentle expression invite a sympathetic response from the viewer, while the floral accent and the pale blue tones contribute to an idealized, decorative mood associated with Rococo portraiture.

Technique & Style

The portrait is executed in oil paint on canvas, a standard combination for eighteenth-century European portraiture. Handling is refined and smooth, with delicate transitions in the modeling of the face and a restrained yet expressive depiction of the sitter’s features. The sitter’s décolletage and the faint smile are rendered with soft, blended brushwork, while the hair and costume details employ slightly more linear precision.

The palette emphasizes flesh tones against muted blues in the background and garment, contributing to a restrained yet engaging composition. The work’s small scale (46 × 36 cm) and intimate focus align with the cabinet-portrait tradition.

History & Provenance

The painting titled A young Woman was created by the artist Pietro Rotari in 1759. Executed in oil paint on canvas, the work measures 46 centimeters in height and 36 centimeters in width. It currently resides in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.

While the specific circumstances of its initial commission or the identity of its original patron are not detailed in the available records, the work is firmly dated to the late 18th century. The piece depicts a woman with waist-length hair, a smile, and a blue bodice featuring a décolletage. As a portrait genre work, it represents Rotari's output during the final year of his life, having been produced just before his death in 1762.

Pietro Rotari's 1759 painting A young Woman is held by the Rijksmuseum. The artwork, executed in oil paint on canvas, is part of the museum's portrait collection. While the institution currently houses the piece, specific inventory or accession numbers are not provided in the available sources. Additionally, the sources do not supply details regarding the work's exhibition history.

Overview

Pietro Rotari's A Young Woman, completed in 1759, is an oil painting that exemplifies the Rococo movement. This portrait features a woman rendered with a focus on realism and aesthetic grace, characteristic of Rotari's artistic approach. The artwork is currently held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum, representing the artist's skill in capturing individual likenesses and expressions.