Rosalba Carriera

Rosalba Carriera, an Italian painter born in 1673 and deceased in 1757, was a prominent figure in the Rococo art movement. She is best known for her pioneering work in portrait miniatures and pastels, which gained her widespread acclaim across Europe. Carriera's career began in Venice, where she initially painted snuff box lids, but her talent soon led her to portraiture, attracting the attention of European nobility and royalty. Her admission to the French Royal Academy in 1720 marked a significant milestone, as she was one of the few women to achieve such recognition at the time. Carriera's delicate and refined style influenced the development of pastel as a respected medium in portraiture. Despite losing her sight later in life, her legacy endures through her contributions to the Rococo aesthetic and her role in elevating the status of women artists in the 18th century.