# A Young Lady with a Parrot

**Rosalba Carriera** (Italian, 1673–1757)  
c. 1730  
Pastel on blue laid paper, mounted on laminated paper board  
60 × 50 cm (23 5/8 × 19 11/16 in.)

Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago, 1985.40. [The museum's record](https://www.artic.edu/artworks/103887).

## About this work

Rosalba Carriera, or simply Rosalba, as she was known, was a shrewd judge of character; she enhanced but never obscured the appearance of her sitters. This pastel may depict a young Englishwoman, perhaps one of the daughters of Lord Manchester. Whoever the model, this image’s aura of grace and seduction would characterize the arts of much of the 18th century, marking Rosalba as one of the originators of the Rococo style in Italy and France.

_Text from the Art Institute of Chicago._

Rosalba Carriera painted this in about 1730, aged about 52. It is now at the Art Institute of Chicago.

### What you’re looking at

A pastel drawing of woman in blue and pink dress with blue parrot.

_Description from the Art Institute of Chicago._

### How it was made

- **Pastel.** Sticks of almost pure pigment with very little binder. The colour sits on the paper as powder: bright, matte and fragile.
- **Laid paper.** Handmade on a mould of close-set wires, which leave fine parallel lines you can see when the sheet is held to the light.

### [Rosalba Carriera](https://www.ochreeditions.com/artists/rosalba-carriera)

Italian, 1673–1757

## Facts

- Type: Drawing and Watercolor
- Culture: Venice
- The artist was about 52
- Real size: about 24 × 20 in (60 × 50 cm). The 18 × 24 in print is close to life size.
- Century: 18th century
- Subjects: women, pearls, jewelry, French, fabric, hairstyles, pink (color), blue (color)
- Colour: grey
- Rights: public domain (CC0 1.0); free to use for any purpose.

## Get it

- Free download, full resolution: https://img.ochreeditions.com/m/263.jpg?dl=1
- Image: https://img.ochreeditions.com/a/263/1920.jpg
- Giclée reproduction on Hahnemühle Photo Rag: 8 × 10 in $28; 11 × 14 in $38; 12 × 16 in $42; 16 × 20 in $56; 18 × 24 in $68; 20 × 30 in $86; 24 × 36 in $108; 30 × 40 in $148
- Framed reproduction: 8 × 10 in $78; 11 × 14 in $98; 12 × 16 in $108; 16 × 20 in $138; 18 × 24 in $164; 20 × 30 in $208; 24 × 36 in $258; 30 × 40 in $338
- Canvas reproduction: 8 × 10 in $58; 11 × 14 in $72; 12 × 16 in $79; 16 × 20 in $98; 18 × 24 in $118; 20 × 30 in $148; 24 × 36 in $178; 30 × 40 in $228
- Print-ready file: 8 × 10 in $2; 11 × 14 in $2; 12 × 16 in $3; 16 × 20 in $3; 18 × 24 in $3; 20 × 30 in $5; 24 × 36 in $5; 30 × 40 in $5

Sizes stop where the museum's file would print below 150 pixels per inch. Everything sold is a reproduction, made to order. [Order a print](https://www.ochreeditions.com/art/a-young-lady-with-a-parrot-aic-103887).