A Woman in Green and Crimson
Piero del Pollaiuolo·1494
Historical Context
This Woman in Green and Crimson at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, attributed to Piero del Pollaiuolo, is one of the finest Florentine profile portraits of the late fifteenth century. The profile format, derived from antique coins and medals, was the predominant convention for female portraiture in Florence between roughly 1440 and 1490, allowing painters to display the elaborate hairstyles, headdresses, and jewelry of their wealthy female subjects against neutral backgrounds. Isabella Stewart Gardner acquired this painting as part of her comprehensive collection of Italian Renaissance works, and its Boston location makes it one of the most studied examples of Florentine profile portraiture in American collections.
Technical Analysis
The portrait's rich color harmonies of green and crimson demonstrate the Pollaiuolo workshop's sophisticated palette, while the precise rendering of costume details reflects their background in goldsmith's work and decorative arts.
