V. Lunardi, Mrs Sage and G. Biggin in a Hot Air Balloon

Executed in a manner reminiscent of the Rococo’s lightness, Rigaud employs delicate brushwork and a pastel palette to convey atmosphere. The figures are rendered with fine detail—military‑style jacket with red trim, a white fur hat, and a flowing dress—while the airy basket and billowing curtains are depicted with a translucent quality that enhances the dreamy sky.

Rigaud, a British artist of French heritage born in Turin, was known for history paintings and portraiture. After its creation, the canvas entered private collections before being acquired by the Spanish national museum, where it has been on display as part of the Prado’s European holdings.

The work reflects the enthusiasm for aeronautics that swept Europe after the first manned balloon flights of the 1780s. Lunardi’s 1785 ascent over England sparked a series of public demonstrations, and Rigaud’s painting documents one such event, linking artistic representation with contemporary scientific achievement.