The Chocolate Girl, a painting acquired by Francesco Algarotti for the Dresden pastel cabinet in 1745, stands as the most recognized achievement of Jean-Étienne Liotard. Born in 1702 into a family of exiled French Huguenots in the Republic of Geneva, he established a career defined by international travel and a commitment to radical naturalism in portraiture.
Early Training and Paris
Liotard began his artistic education under Daniel Gardelle in Geneva, focusing on miniature and enamel painting. By 1725, he relocated to Paris to work in the workshop of the miniaturist Jean-Baptiste Massé for three years. He established his own practice around 1728. His early professional efforts included portrait prints of Voltaire and Fontenelle, and he submitted a painting to the Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture in 1732, though the submission did not secure a prize.
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In 1735, Liotard joined the French ambassador to Naples and Rome, painting portraits of Pope Clement XII and various cardinals. During a four-year period beginning in 1738, he traveled to Constantinople with Lord Duncannon. He adopted local Turkish dress, which he continued to wear long after returning to Europe, earning him the nickname of the Turkish painter. This exotic persona, combined with his skill in pastel, attracted many European clients who wished to be depicted in Middle Eastern costume.
Artistic Philosophy and Technique
Liotard earned the reputation of a truth-seeking painter. In his 1781 work, Traité des Principes et règles de la Peinture, he argued that art should act as a mirror to nature. He advocated for the elimination of visible brushstrokes to ensure a realistic imitation of his subjects. He favored pastel over oil for its vibrant colors and freshness, finding it superior for capturing the naturalistic effects he prioritized throughout his career.
Final Years
His career took him across Europe, including stays in Vienna, London, and the Dutch Republic. His extensive travels facilitated his work as a collector and art dealer, where he traded in masterpieces by old masters. He eventually returned to his native Geneva in 1776, dedicating his final years to landscapes and still lifes until his death in 1789.
Fast facts
- Born: 1702, Geneva
- Died: 1789, Geneva
- Citizenship: Republic of Geneva
- Occupations: Painter, printmaker, draftsperson
- Key Medium: Pastel
- Spouse: Marie Fargues
- Famous Work: The Chocolate Girl
- Religion: Reformed
Questions readers ask
Why was Liotard known as the Turkish painter?
He spent four years in Constantinople and adopted local Turkish dress, a practice he maintained for years after returning to Europe.
Did Liotard prefer oil or pastel painting?
He favored pastel, arguing in his treatise that it was the superior medium for achieving a realistic, naturalistic imitation of nature.
Achievements
- Notable work: The Chocolate Girl
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