Rosalba Carriera
(Carrera)

Italian artist of the Venetian school. Came from a poor family, reliable information about the years of her studies of painting and miniature no. In the first decades of the 18th century, during the spread of the Rococo style Rosalba Carrera has made significant progress in creating beautiful miniatures. In the 1720s, in the heyday of his talent, the Carrera Rosalba worked in Paris, where he kept a diary and extensive correspondence, met with Watteau. In 1730-ies Rosalba lived in Vienna at the court of the Polish king Augustus the Strong, gave painting lessons to Queen Victoria. Soon returned to Venice. For 1750 years Rosalba Carrera lost sight: two operations the artist didn't help, and it is up to the end of days remain blind.

Daughter lace. Under the assumption of some researchers, learned from his mother and started out as a decorator of ivory snuff (intended for sale to tourists); hence her interest in the portrait miniature.

At the age of 25 years for his work, was elected to the Guild of artists and the Academy of St. Luke in Rome. In 1716, met in Venice with a major financier and famous collector Pierre Crozat and his Council in March 1720, together with his family moved to Paris, where her pastels was a huge success, becoming one of the impulses for the emerging art of Rococo. In the French capital has received an order for 36 portraits of members of the Royal family (including painted the portrait of the Dauphin Louis, the future king Louis XV — one of his best works). In Paris, she kept a diary and extensive correspondence, met with Watteau, wrote his portrait. In the same year was elected a member of the French Royal Academy of painting; the following 1721, returned to Venice, to his house on the Grand Canal. In 1730 Carrera left Venice, 6 months working in Vienna at the court of Emperor Charles VI, her lover and patron. Student Carriery in Vienna was the daughter of Charles VI, the future Empress Maria Theresia.

Work Carriery were extremely popular in Europe with monarchy the courts and among the nobility, the secret of this success is clear— all of her portraits filled with the delicate charm of her characters — a smiling, beautiful (and highly embellished), their inner world is full of subtle charm, femininity, lightness (so close artistic worldview Rococo).

For 1750 years the artist has lost vision two cataract surgery did not help, and the artist until the end of days remain blind. In the XIX and early XX century on the wave of the feminist movement was created several of her biographies, recently, the German writer Michael Jari wrote about her historical novel.