plate no. 5646

Self-Portrait with lace jabot

pastel, canvasRococoself-portraitportraitfiguremanclothinglacewig

recreation guide

Maurice Quentin de La Tour was a French painter who specialized in portrait painting using pastels in the Rococo style (Source 8). His work is characterized by a mastery of color harmony and the perception of light modifications on the model, principles that allow the artist to imitate promptly and surely the nuances of tone and color (Source 1). The artwork 'Self-Portrait with lace jabot' exemplifies his focus on flesh tones and inherent colors, where the artist must distinguish between colors fixed by the model (such as skin and eyes) and those chosen for draperies or backgrounds (Source 2).

estimated time

20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions

materials

4 items

steps

5 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Soft pastels (full spectrum)	Primary medium for applying color and texture	High-quality soft pastels (e.g., Sennelier, Holbein)
Canvas or heavy paper	Support surface; La Tour often worked on canvas or prepared paper	Pastelmat or sanded paper, or primed canvas
Fixative (optional, for layering)	To stabilize layers if heavy blending is required, though La Tour often relied on dry layering	Workable fixative spray
Blending stumps or fingers	To smooth transitions and create the 'gradation of light' described in contrast laws	Paper stumps or tortillons

preparation

surface prep

La Tour typically worked on canvas or paper. For a canvas support, it should be primed with a neutral ground to allow the pastel colors to stand out. The surface should be slightly textured to hold the pigment. While specific preparation for this self-portrait is not detailed in the sources, La Tour’s general practice involved preparing a stable surface for dry media (Source 8).

underdrawing

La Tour’s preparatory methods are not explicitly detailed in the provided sources. However, given his focus on 'perceiving and imitating promptly' the modifications of light (Source 1), a light, loose underdrawing in a neutral tone (such as gray or sepia pastel) is recommended to establish proportions without committing to final values too early.

underpainting

Not applicable in the traditional oil sense. In pastel, the 'underpainting' phase corresponds to laying down the initial broad masses of color. La Tour likely began with the inherent colors of the flesh and eyes, which are fixed by the model (Source 2).

color palette

Flesh tones (various)

Warm ochres, pinks, and cool grays

Face and hands; these colors are 'fixed by the model' and require careful observation of simultaneous contrast (Source 2, Source 1)

Black and Dark Browns

Ivory black, burnt umber

Hair and shadows; used to create 'chiaro-scuro' effects through juxtaposition (Source 2)

White and Light Grays

Titanium white, titanium white mixed with gray

Lace jabot and highlights; used to heighten the darkest tones through contrast (Source 2)

Background tones

Neutral grays or muted earth tones

Background; chosen by the artist to harmonize with the inherent colors of the figure (Source 2)

composition

The composition likely centers on the head and shoulders, typical of La Tour’s portrait style. The artist has a choice of draperies and background, which can be selected to harmonize with the flesh tones (Source 2). The arrangement should facilitate the 'simultaneous contrast of colours,' where the background tones influence the perception of the skin and clothing (Source 1).

step by step

underdrawing→first pass→refining→finishing

underdrawing

step 01
Lightly sketch the proportions of the head, shoulders, and lace jabot using a neutral pastel. Focus on the 'line of juxtaposition' between light and dark areas.
Tip — Keep lines light to allow for correction as you perceive the 'modifications of the light' (Source 1).
Proportional sketching

first pass

step 02
Lay down the broad masses of color for the flesh, hair, and clothing. Start with the 'inherent' colors of the skin and eyes, which are fixed by the model (Source 2).
Tip — Observe the 'simultaneous contrast' between adjacent colors; the flesh tone will appear different depending on the background color (Source 1).
Blocking in

refining

step 03
Develop the 'gradation of light' by juxtaposing tones. Place lighter tones next to darker ones to heighten the contrast, creating a true gradation of light (Source 2).
Tip — Ensure that the 'lightest tone will be lowered, and the darkest tone will be heightened' by their neighbors (Source 1).
Chiaro-scuro via juxtaposition
step 04
Refine the lace jabot using fine, delicate strokes. Use white and light grays to create the illusion of texture and transparency, contrasting with the darker clothing.
Tip — Be aware of 'mixed contrast'; if you stare at one color too long, your eye may see its complementary, leading to inaccurate color perception (Source 1).
Detailing

finishing

step 05
Step back frequently to assess the overall harmony. Adjust any colors that appear 'inaccurate' due to the eye's susceptibility to fatigue or contrast effects (Source 1).
Tip — Ensure that the 'colours of a composition which are essentially inherent to the nature of the objects' are harmonized with the chosen background (Source 1).
Final adjustment

critical techniques

Simultaneous Contrast

La Tour would have been aware that colors appear different when placed next to each other. The artist must perceive the 'colour peculiar to each part' and the modifications it receives from contiguous colors (Source 1).

Chiaro-scuro via Juxtaposition

By placing flat tints of different tones next to each other, a gradation of light is produced. The highest tone is enfeebled, and the lowest tone is heightened, creating depth without blending (Source 2).

Color Harmony

The artist chooses background and drapery colors to harmonize with the inherent flesh tones, ensuring the composition is aesthetically pleasing (Source 2).

common pitfalls

→Seeing colors inaccurately due to 'mixed contrast'; after looking at one color, the eye tends to see its complementary, leading to errors in subsequent areas (Source 1).
→Over-blending; La Tour’s technique relies on juxtaposition and 'gradation of light' through placement, not necessarily wet blending (Source 2).
→Ignoring the 'inherent' colors of the model; flesh tones are fixed and should not be arbitrarily altered by the artist’s preference (Source 2).

what the sources don't tell us

Where the corpus is silent, we say so rather than guess. These are the gaps a complete recreation guide would normally cover that our source passages don't.

·Specific pigments used by La Tour for this self-portrait are not listed in the sources.
·The exact dimensions and support material (canvas vs. paper) for this specific work are not provided.
·Detailed information on La Tour’s specific underdrawing technique is absent from the sources.

grounded in

The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.

Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 315-318 — applied to Understanding simultaneous contrast and color perception
- 6, 324 — applied to Chiaro-scuro techniques and inherent vs. chosen colors

cross-referenced from

Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.