Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Gifts of Grandeur: Self-Portrait as Innocence, 1685-1757



Self Portrait as Innocence
Rosalba Giovanna Carriera
1685-1757
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection 
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II



Venetian painter Rosalba Giovanna Carriera (1675-1757) painted this self-portrait of watercolor on ivory at some point between 1685 and her death. That seems like quite a long range, but as this self-portrait is stylized, it’s difficult to pinpoint a more exact date. Carriera has styled herself as “Innocence.” To this end, she’s wearing a white dress and holding a dove of peace with outstretched wings. Behind her, the cloudy sky shows the ever-present threat against an innocent soul.





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