Portrait of a Young Lady
Leonardo da Vinci·c. 1500
Historical Context
This Portrait of a Young Lady by a follower of Leonardo da Vinci, dating to around 1500, reflects the enormous influence of Leonardo's portrait innovations on Milanese painting. The mysterious, enigmatic quality of the sitter's expression and the sophisticated modeling of the face attempt to capture the psychological depth that made Leonardo's portraits revolutionary. Such works testify to the powerful impact of Leonardo's Milanese years (1482-1499).
Technical Analysis
Originally on panel and transferred to hardboard, the portrait shows Leonardesque sfumato technique in the soft transitions of the face. The dark background, three-quarter pose, and subtle smile follow Leonardo's portrait formula, though the execution lacks his supreme refinement.
Provenance
Count of Castel-Pizzuto, Milan. (E. & C. Canessa, Naples). (Duveen Brothers, Inc., London and New York); sold 1916 to William Salomon [1852-1919], New York, as by Bernardino de'Conti. (Duveen Brothers, Inc., London and New York), before 1930; sold October 1947 to the Samuel H. Kress Foundation, New York;[1] gift 1952 to NGA. [1] The bill of sale between Duveen Brothers and the Kress Foundation, and the Duveen Brothers letter confirming the sale that includes NGA 1952.5.66, are dated 31 October 1947; the painting is identified as _Beatrice D'Este, Duchess of Milan_ by Leonardo da Vinci (copies in NGA curatorial files from Kress Foundation files, and Box 475, Folder 5, Duveen Brothers Records, accession 960015, Research Library, The Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles). See also The Kress Collection Digital Archive, https://kress.nga.gov/Detail/objects/1716.
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