Smiling girl with pearl necklace

Executed in oil, the painting demonstrates Rotari’s skill in rendering texture, particularly in the glossy surface of the pearls and the soft folds of the shawl. The delicate modeling of flesh and the restrained color palette reflect Rococo sensibilities, balancing decorative detail with a naturalistic portrayal of the subject.

Italian painter Pietro Rotari, born in Verona, produced the piece during his early career, before his later appointments at the Russian court. The portrait entered the collection of the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, where it remains part of the museum’s holdings of 18th‑century European art.