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Original fileYoung Woman with Unicorn
Italian: Dama col liocornoj Young Woman with Unicorntitle QS:P1476,it:"Dama col liocornoj "label QS:Lit,"Dama col liocornoj "label QS:Les,"Dama del unicornio"label QS:Lfr,"La Dame à la licorne"label QS:Lca,"La Dama de l'Unicorni"label QS:Lde,"Dame mit dem Einhorn"label QS:Lbe,"Дама з аднарогам"label QS:Lhy,"Միաեղջյուրով կինը (կտավ)"label QS:Lzh,"獨角獸與年輕女子"label QS:Ltr,"Unicorn'lu Genç Kadın"label QS:Lja,"ユニコーンと若い女性"label QS:Lru,"Дама с единорогом"label QS:Larz,"امراه شابه مع يونيكورن"label QS:Lpl,"Dama z jednorożcem"label QS:Lml,"യംഗ് വുമൺ വിത് യൂണികോൺ"label QS:Laz,"Gənc qadın təkbuynuzla"label QS:Lbr,"Poltred un itron gant un unkorneg"label QS:Lnl,"De dame met de eenhoorn"label QS:Luk,"Пані з однорогом"label QS:Len,"Young Woman with Unicorn"label QS:Lar,"امرأة شابة مع وحيد القرن"
About This Work
The sitter is shown in a three-quarter view, framed by the columns of an open balcony that looks out onto rolling hills. She wears a high-waisted gown with large crimson sleeves and a gold-toned bodice, complemented by a necklace featuring a large square-cut ruby and a drop pearl. In her arms, she cradles a small unicorn, which gazes back at the viewer with its mouth slightly open.
The unicorn serves as a symbolic attribute of chastity and purity, drawing upon a long-standing tradition found in medieval bestiaries where the creature could only be captured by a virgin. This work reflects the High Renaissance synthesis of naturalistic portraiture with Neoplatonic ideals of inner virtue reflected in outward beauty.