Skip to main content

Follower of Bronzino, 'Portrait of a Lady', probably 1575-85

Key facts
Full title Portrait of a Lady
Artist Follower of Bronzino
Artist dates 1503 - 1572
Date made probably 1575-85
Medium and support oil on wood
Dimensions 58.7 × 48.6 cm
Acquisition credit Bequeathed by the Misses Cohen as part of the John Samuel Collection, 1906
Inventory number NG2085
Location Not on display
Collection Main Collection
Portrait of a Lady
Follower of Bronzino
/

We do not know who this lady is. Her costume suggests that she is a Florentine noblewoman of the late 1570s and 1580s and it is likely that the portrait dates from that time.

The style of the portrait is similar to those of Bronzino (1503–1572), who was court artist to Cosimo I de’ Medici (1519–1574), Duke of Florence and later Grand Duke of Tuscany. It may be that this lady is an invention based on several portraits of Medici ladies by Bronzino. The portrait also resembles those by Bronzino’s pupil Alessandro Allori (1535–1607), who painted court portraits for Cosimo I’s son, Grand Duke Francesco I de’ Medici (1541–1587).

The lady was formerly believed to be Bianca Cappello (1548–1587), Francesco’s mistress and later his wife. However, other than in the opulence of her costume, she does not especially resemble her.

Download image
Download low-resolution image

Download a low-resolution copy of this image for personal use.

License this image

License and download a high-resolution image for reproductions up to A3 size from the National Gallery Picture Library.

License image
Download low-resolution image

This image is licensed for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons agreement.

Examples of non-commercial use are:

  • Research, private study, or for internal circulation within an educational organisation (such as a school, college or university)
  • Non-profit publications, personal websites, blogs, and social media

The image file is 800 pixels on the longest side.

As a charity, we depend upon the generosity of individuals to ensure the collection continues to engage and inspire. Help keep us free by making a donation today.

Download low-resolution image

You must agree to the Creative Commons terms and conditions to download this image.

Creative Commons Logo

Related paintings

An Allegory with Venus and Cupid
An Allegory with Venus and Cupid
Bronzino
This is one of Bronzino’s most complex and enigmatic paintings. It contains a tangle of moral messages, presented in a sexually explicit image. Venus, goddess of love, steals an arrow from her son Cupid’s quiver as she kisses him on the lips. Cupid fondles Venus‘ breast, his bare buttocks provoca...
Room 9
Portrait of a Young Man
Portrait of a Young Man
Bronzino
Room 12
Portrait of Piero de' Medici ('The Gouty')
Portrait of Piero de' Medici ('The Gouty')
Bronzino
Piero de‘ Medici (1416–1469) was the son of Cosimo ’Pater Patriae‘ (’father of his country‘), and father of Lorenzo the Magnificent. They were all members of the Medici, the leading family in Florence during the Italian Renaissance. Although Florence was a republic at the time, Piero was in effec...
Not on display
The Madonna and Child with Saints
The Madonna and Child with Saints
Bronzino
Elderly Saint Elizabeth looks down over the Virgin Mary’s shoulder at her son Saint John the Baptist. The Christ Child removes a garland of flowers from his head, symbolising innocence or childish pleasure. He grasps the reed cross held by the infant Saint John, who wears his camel-skin cloak and...
Room 9
Portrait of Cosimo I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany
Portrait of Cosimo I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany
After Bronzino
This is a portrait of Cosimo I de‘ Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany, at the age of 40. It is based on Bronzino’s official portrait of the Duke of 1559, but is unlikely to have been painted by Bronzino or his assistants.Prior to Medici rule, Florence had been a republic. Cosimo was Duke of Florence f...
Not on display