Piero del Pollaiolo “Portrait of a Young Lady” Poldi Pezzoli Museum in Milan in Italy

Portrait of a Young Lady

Piero del Pollaiolo (1443 – 1496) “Portrait of a Young Lady”

Painting - Tempera on wood (45.5 x 32.7 cm) 1470

The young woman painted by Piero del Pollaiolo is represented with a sky background where a few clouds run.

All the details of this portrait are particularly meticulous, both in terms of clothing and embroidery and in the hairstyle.

Note that a slight veil covers the ear to keep the bun surrounded by pearls. The young lady wears a necklace around her neck with pearls alternating with small gold spheres.

A pearl pendant and a well-sized ruby are at the end of the necklace.

Portrait of a Young Lady This young woman was part of the Florentine aristocracy of the 15th century.

These various signs of wealth were chosen for their symbolic meaning at the time.

The white of the pearls referred to virginal purity, while the red ruby of the pendant referred to amorous passion.

This painting was, therefore, probably commissioned from Piero del Pollaiolo on the occasion of a young girl's promise of marriage.

The inscription on the back of the painting, erased during one of the restorations, designated her as the wife of Giovanni II di Barbiano, Count of Cunio and a descendent of a family of condottieres in Milan.

Portrait of a Young Lady