Untold Stories of a Monumental Pastel

One of the largest pastels made in the 18th century, Maurice Quentin de La Tour’s Portrait of Gabriel Bernard de Rieux is an astonishing object. 

In this colossal portrait, the ambitious La Tour pushed pastel to new heights, capturing his sitter’s likeness and surrounding de Rieux with the trappings of his wealth: fine furniture, an extensive library, imported porcelain, and a globe turned to display the West coast of Africa. 

This focused exhibition highlights both La Tour’s technical achievement and the global reality that financed and furnished de Rieux’s world.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website