Pietro Rotari

Pietro Rotari is best known for his charming head-and-shoulders paintings of young women, turned slightly, with soft skin, delicate expressions and headscarves or ribbons. These “character heads” became popular across the courts of Europe.

Born in Verona, he trained with Antonio Balestra and then studied in Rome with Francesco Trevisani and in Naples with Francesco Solimena. He worked in Verona, Vienna and Dresden, and in 1756 he moved to St Petersburg as court painter to Empress Elizabeth. There he produced hundreds of studies of young women, many now at Peterhof. He also painted altarpieces and portraits of royalty.

A Girl in a Blue Dress shows his light, polished touch.