Maurice Quentin de La Tour: Light, Shadow & the Rococo Portrait Maurice Quentin de La Tour (1609 – 1685) stands as a pivotal figure in French Baroque art, renowned for his masterful pastel portraits that captured the elegance and sophistication of the aristocratic elite during the Rococo period. Unlike many of his contemporaries who embraced grand canvases and theatrical compositions, Quentin de La Tour cultivated a distinctive aesthetic characterized by delicate hues, subtle shading, and an unparalleled sensitivity to capturing psychological nuance – qualities that cemented his place among…