Study of the portrait 

Here we see a preparatory sketch of a portrait by Maurice Quentin de La Tour, meticulously rendered in pastel. The most striking symbol here is the powdered wig. Wigs, as signifiers, have traversed diverse epochs, echoing in ancient Egypt and resurfacing in 17th-century Europe, initially as symbols of health, then evolving into emblems of status. This sartorial choice transcends mere fashion. Consider the theatricality of the Baroque era, where wigs amplified presence and status. They served as a mask, enabling one to perform a role. The wig is therefore intrinsically linked to identity and its construction. Yet, these constructed identities are fragile. The stark contrast between the artifice of the wig and the human face beneath evokes the inevitable tensions between our public and private selves. The wig whispers of mortality, a constant reminder of transformation and decay, recurring motifs in the grand theater of human existence.