Raffaello sanzio, ritratto di elisabetta gonzaga, 1503-06 ca. 02

The Duchess is presented in a formal, centered pose against a misty landscape of hills and a pale sky. She wears a dark dress decorated with gold squares containing decorative patterns and a long gold chain that hangs in loops over her chest. A thin black band across her forehead holds a small jewel in the shape of a scorpion, a distinctive piece of jewelry known as a lenza.

Elisabetta Gonzaga was the intellectual heart of the court of Urbino, the setting for Baldassare Castiglione's 'The Book of the Courtier'. The scorpion jewel on her forehead is frequently interpreted as an astrological talisman or a personal emblem, reflecting the Renaissance court's fascination with the influence of the stars and the use of symbolic jewelry to convey character or provide protection.