Discover Liotard and the Lavergne Family

Delightful exhibition at the National Gallery reuniting two versions of a picture by Jean-Ettienne Liotard.

The gallery owns the pastel version of this composition painted in 1754 and here it ha been reunited with his 1773 oil version on loan from a private collection, for the first time probably since the latter was painted.

The show starts with a display on what pastels are and how they are made. I hadn’t realised that    artists weren’t able to buy them ready made until the 18th century which explains why they became more popular.

Around the two pictures there were interesting displays on Liotard in Constantinople and London and on his fascination with porcelain. I hadn’t known about him before but he worked all over Europe and dubbed himself ‘the Turkish artist’ after his stay in Constantinople where he started wearing Turkish dress and grew a beard.

Closes 3 March 2024


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