Young Girl Holding a Pot of Hyacinths

It is difficult to be certain whether this pastel was intended as a portrait or a genre piece. In Liotard’s family it was known as a portrait of the Duchess of Marlborough, but that is improbable. More freely conceived than his more formal portraits, and with a softer, more melting use of pastel, it should perhaps be classified with La Liseuse as a generalised evocation of youthfulness.