It would seem to me that there would be not greater sign of respect than when one artists asks another to paint their portrait. Antoine Watteau (1684-1721) asked the Italian portrait painter Rosalba Carriera (1673-1757) to paint his portrait and this famous painting is the result. It is perhaps the most famous portrait done by Rosalba and the one most often used when discussing Watteau.
This painting is also a fine example of the pastel and portrait work done by Rosalba which was what she became most famous for. She was an innovator in pastels and portraiture. If you would like to learn more about the artist and see additional examples of her work, please visit our biography of Rosalba Carriera.