Portrait of a Lady

This Renaissance painter, who was a disciple of Durer, has used the same half-length format for portraits as Leonardo da Vinci and Titian. But he gives it great personality. As with so many other famous portraits, the identity of the lady herself is unknown.

The black background and the strong lighting make her white skin stand out. But what catches our attention is the sweet expression of her eyes and mouth. The very high forehead was fashionable at the time, and ladies would shave off some of their hair to make it appear larger. The very feminine hat is also unusual. If you look carefully at the choker she is wearing, you can see the window of the room she is in reflected in the stone pendant.

Only three colours have been used in the picture: the white tones of her skin and the feathers in her hat; the orange shades of her dress and jewellery, which match her hair, and the black background, all of which make the picture strikingly harmonious.


(c) (R) 2013, MUSMon com S.L.
Text (a) Catalina Serrano Romero

Picture
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Author: DcoetzeeBot
Permission: This artwork is in the public domain: The author of this artwork died more than 70 years ago. According to E.U. Copyright Law, copyright expires 70 years after the author's death. In other countries, legislation may differ.