Bowdoin College Museum of Art | - Portrait of a Biracial Woman

Preview image of work. pastel on paper laid down on canvas, Portrait of a Biracial Woman 41636

2021.7

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Portrait of a Biracial Woman

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Artist

Deschamps de la Talaire (French, active in Paris circa 1760 – )

Title

Portrait of a Biracial Woman

Creation Date

ca. 1760-1780

Century

18th century

Dimensions

16 1/8 x 13 1/4 in. (40.96 x 33.66 cm)

Object Type

pastel

Creation Place

Europe, France

Medium and Support

pastel on paper laid down on canvas

Credit Line

Museum Purchase, Lloyd O. and Marjorie Strong Coulter Fund

Copyright

This artwork may be under copyright. For further information, please consult the Museum’s Copyright Terms and Conditions.

Accession Number

2021.7

A label on the reverse of this pastel drawing identifies it as a “portrait de fantaisie,” or an imaginative work depicting a fictive sitter. French artist Deschamps de la Talaire used idealized facial features and a light skin tone to render this biracial woman. Her African descent is emphasized through the inclusion of the headwrap, often worn by Black women throughout the African diaspora. Deschamps may have drawn inspiration from contemporary visual representations of biracial women or encountered biracial women during his trips through the Caribbean or in France.