Rosalba Carriera, Painter in Crayons
(b. 1675, d. 1757)
Painter in Crayons
From A Dictionary of Irish Artists 1913
Better known as Rosalba, was born in Venice in 1675. She painted at first in oil, but her reputation is due to her miniatures and especially her portraits in crayons. She painted in Venice and visited many of the European courts. No mention has been found of her having been in England; but, according to Pasquin, she "practised crayon painting in Ireland." No corroboration of this statement has been discovered. Many of her works, generally portraits and fancy heads, are in Irish country houses, such as Carton and Castletown, and portraits are mentioned by Twiss in his "Tour in Ireland," 1775, as being in Lord Moira's collection. Five portraits of the Loftus Hume family were in Sir Charles Coote's sale in 1838. But as every visitor to Venice about 1721 carried off his own portrait or some fancy head by Rosalba it is more probable that her works found in Ireland were brought over by Irish gentlemen on their return from Italy. Rosalba died in Venice in 1757.
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