When La Tour drew this self portrait he was already one of the most sought-after portraitists of his day. Nevertheless, he foregoes all the trappings of ostentation, dignity and solemnity. The intimacy of the pastel, hardly suited to large-scale works or pathos-laden chiaroscuro, is further heightened by the relaxed pose of the man who smiles so courteously at the spectator. On closer inspection, however, the look on his face appears to turn almost imperceptibly into supercilious sarcasm, and what seemed at first to be candor becomes an impenetrable expression. The cool blue tones of the painting enclose the artist in a hermetic world of precious artificiality that is neither vulnerable nor accessible. Light as the colors may be, the painting itself contains no light. [https://www.wga.hu/html_m/l/la_tour/maurice/selfport.html] See a second very similar self portrait at https://curiator.com/art/quentin-de-la-tour/4