Portrait of a Young Fiancée

This delicate profile portrait, also known as La Bella Principessa, depicts a young woman in courtly dress and has been the subject of intense attribution debate since its rediscovery. If by Leonardo, it likely dates to around 1495 during his time at the Sforza court in Milan, and may portray Bianca Maria Sforza or Bianca Giovanna Sforza. The work is executed on vellum, an unusual support for Leonardo, and was likely cut from a bound volume. Its attribution to Leonardo was championed by Martin Kemp but remains contested by some scholars.

The portrait employs a strict profile view in the tradition of Milanese court portraiture, with extraordinarily fine hatching in chalk and ink that creates subtle tonal gradations across the face and costume. The rendering of the elaborate hairstyle and translucent veil demonstrates exceptional draftsmanship, with left-handed hatching consistent with Leonardo's known technique.