Maurice Quentin de La Tour was a French pastellist of the 18th century. He started taking drawing lessons as a child and went to Cambrai for further training at the age of 15. From 1721, de La Tour lived in Paris. Between 1724 and 1727, he moved first to Reims, then to London. Shortly after his return to Paris, he received his first commissions and soon specialised in portraits in pastel. After de La Tour had produced a portrait of Voltaire in 1733, he became one of the most sought-after portraitists in Paris. In 1750, he was appointed royal pastellist, entitled to a pension and an apartment in the Louvre. Among his most important works are the portraits of King Louis XV and his mistress Madame de Pompadour. In 1751, de La Tour was nominated as director of the Académie Royale de Peinture. De La Tour was financially very well off and committed himself to numerous charitable projects. For instance, he endowed scholarships for young artists, founded a drawing school in his home town and financially supported impoverished artists and poor women in childbed. The largest collection of his works can be found today in the museum of de La Tour's home town of St. Quentin to which his brother donated the artist’s estate. The French 50 franc banknote featured de La Tour from 1976 to 1992.