description Lady with an Ermine Overview
Lady with an Ermine is a portrait painted by Leonardo da Vinci around 1489 to 1490, generally identified as Cecilia Gallerani, a young woman at the Milanese court and the mistress of Ludovico Sforza. She turns toward something outside the picture while holding a pale ermine, an animal that may carry personal, courtly, and symbolic associations. The work is notable for its dynamic pose and psychological immediacy, and it is housed in the National Museum in Krakow, Poland.
help Lady with an Ermine FAQ
Who is the woman in Lady with an Ermine?
She is generally identified as Cecilia Gallerani, a cultured young woman at the Milanese court. Cecilia was the mistress of Ludovico Sforza when Leonardo painted the portrait around 1489 to 1490.
Why is Cecilia Gallerani holding an ermine?
The animal may refer to purity, courtly symbolism, or Ludovico Sforza, who was associated with the Order of the Ermine. Its Greek name may also have offered a wordplay on Cecilia's surname, although the symbolism is not completely settled.
Was the animal originally painted as a white ermine?
Technical investigation indicates that Leonardo revised the animal during the painting process. Earlier stages appear to have shown a smaller creature before it became the prominent white animal visible today.
Where is Lady with an Ermine displayed?
The portrait is housed at the National Museum in Krakow and displayed in the Czartoryski Museum. It is one of only a small number of surviving portraits securely attributed to Leonardo da Vinci.
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