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Italian, Florentine, 'Portrait of a Lady', probably 1555-65

About the work

We do not know this young woman’s identity. She wears an elaborate black velvet gown, the bodice of which is decorated with embroidery in white and gold thread and rows of vertical slashes through which the white fabric of her chemise can be seen. She stands before a green silk curtain and a table covered in a red velvet cloth with gold braid at the corner. Her eyes do not seem to focus and she appears to be gesturing to something outside the picture. This painting may once have hung beside a portrait of the lady’s husband. The bare strip at the very top of the painting would originally have been covered by the frame.

This work was formerly thought to be by Bronzino (1503–1572) or his pupil Alessandro Allori (1535–1607), but neither attribution seems likely. The costume can be dated to the late 1550s or early 1560s and suggests that the sitter is probably a noblewoman.

Key facts

Full title
Portrait of a Lady
Artist
Italian, Florentine
Date made
probably 1555-65
Medium and support
oil on canvas
Dimensions
113 × 80 cm
Acquisition credit
Bought, 1860
Inventory number
NG650
Location
Not on display
Collection
Main Collection

About this record

If you know more about this painting or have spotted an error, please contact us. Please note that exhibition histories are listed from 2009 onwards. Bibliographies may not be complete; more comprehensive information is available in the National Gallery Library.

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You've viewed 6 of 14 works