Wikimedia Commons · Public domain · Hover to magnify, click for fullscreen
Original file
About This Work
The sitter is depicted in three-quarter view, looking directly at the viewer with a calm, self-assured expression. They wear a voluminous white shirt beneath a heavy dark cloak with prominent fur trim. To the right, a vertical sliver of landscape is visible, showing a distant town by a body of water.
This painting is a quintessence of High Renaissance portraiture, reflecting the courtly ideals and Neoplatonic concepts of beauty and grace prevalent in the circles of the della Rovere family. It is frequently associated with the concept of 'sprezzatura' (effortless grace) articulated by Raphael’s contemporary Baldassare Castiglione.
Connected Texts
Baldassare Castiglione
The portrait's poise and elegant attire epitomize the social and philosophical ideals of the courtly life described in Castiglione's 'The Book of the Courtier'.