Acknowledgements Introduction Chalk and pastel Distinguishing between chalk and pastel in drawings, words and texts Historical meanings of 'pastel' Evidence for naturally occuring coloured chalk drawing sticks Painting with pastel Painting in pastel: a new artistic practice Evidence from contemporary texts Sets of pastels The pastellist's tools The paper support Pastel: a socially appropriate substitute for oil painting Robert Nanteuil and the prestige of painting in pastel Evidence for materials and techniques Paper supports Painting pastel portraits Relationship of function to material A small portrait in graphite on parchment Thesis portraits 'New heights': Joseph Vivien's large-scale pastel portrait paintings The reception of Vivien's pastel paintings Vivien's activity as a pastel painter Material and technical evidence Vivien's choice of pastel Summary Making up the face: technique and meaning in Carriera's pastel portraits Carriera's pastel portraits Carriera's achievement in pastel: pleasurable deception, fragile illusion Fashion, appearance and class Ideals of beauty Painting the face: pastel and make-up Venetian prototypes Carriera's materials and working practice Carriera's papers Paper colour Carriera's sources of blue paper Additonal characteristics of Carriera's papers Carriera's working procedures Secondary support Primary support preparation Preparatory drawings, underdrawings and underpainting The pastel painting Brushwork Sources of Carriera's pastel sticks Summary Presenting pastel portraits Introduction Material issues affecting presentation Glazing Frames Evidence for reconstructing the presentation of pastels Abundance or restraint: public versus private display Framing in themed groups Fixatives and 'the precious powder . which falls off as easily as scales from a butterfly's wings' Pastel in the nineteenth century Appendix 1 Index to art-making and related topics in Carriera's correspondence Appendix 2 Currency, wages and measurement Appendix 3 Conditions of examination Appendix 4 The conservation of pastels Appendix 5 Earlier related publications by the author Notes References Index.