Artists in 18th-century Europe relished the convenience and versatility of pastels to make portraits, which ranged from straightforward likenesses to imaginary renderings. Yet the social conventions of the period meant that men were more often in the privileged position to commission portraits of themselves for public display, whereas depictions of women tended to represent muses or allegorical figures. This focused installation, principally from the Museum’s collection, features pastels by two of the most important women artists of 18th-century Europe, Adélaïde Labille-Guiard and Rosalba Carriera. It asks visitors to consider: who gets a portrait and who decides what it looks like?

This exhibition is presented in English and Spanish. Esta exhibición se presenta en inglés y en español.