Feminae: Medieval Women and Gender Index


  • Record Number: 4341
  • Author(s)/Creator(s): Bull , David.
  • Contributor(s):
  • Title: Two Portraits by Leonardo: "Ginevra de’ Benci" and the "Lady with an Ermine."
  • Source: Artibus et Historiae 13, 25 ( 1992): Pages 67 - 83.
  • Description:
  • Article Type: Journal Article
  • Subject (See Also): Art History- Painting Artists Leonardo da Vinci, Humanist- Lady with an Ermine Portraits Women in Art
  • Award Note:
  • Geographic Area: Italy
  • Century: 15
  • Primary Evidence: Painting; 1) Leonardo da Vinci, “Ginevra de’ Benci,” 1474 (Washington, D. C., National Gallery of Art). Bust-length portrait of the young woman with a sad expression. 2) Leonardo da Vinci, “Lady with an Ermine,” 1489 (Cracow, Czartoryski Collection). Portrait of a
  • Illustrations: Twenty-Four Figures. Figure One Leonardo da Vinci, “Ginevra de’ Benci,” 1474 (Washington, D. C., National Gallery of Art). (In Color.) Painting is a bust-length portrait of the young woman with a sad expression. Figure Two Leonardo da Vinci, “Lady with an Ermine,” 1489 (Cracow, Czartoryski Collection). Painting depicts a young woman holding an ermine (weasel). (In Color.) Figure Three Andrea del Verrocchio, “The Baptism of Christ” (Florence, Uffizi Gallery). Painting depicts John the Baptist baptizing Christ as a white dove descends from above. Figure Four Leonardo da Vinci, “Lady with an Ermine,” 1489 (Cracow, Czartoryski Collection). Detail of the ermine’s fur. (In Color.) Figure Five Leonardo da Vinci, “Drapery Study for a Figure Kneeling to the Right,” c. 1472 (Paris, Musée du Louvre, Departement des Arts Graphiques). Drawing of linen draping over a stationary object. Figure Six Leonardo da Vinci, “Drapery Study for ‘The Virgin of the Rocks,’” c. 1496 (Windsor Castle, Royal Library, 12521). Drawing of linen draping over a twisting body. Figure Seven Leonardo da Vinci, “Study of Arms and Hands” (Windsor Castle, Royal Library, 12558). Figure Eight Leonardo da Vinci, “Ginevra de’ Benci,” 1474 (Washington, D. C., National Gallery of Art). Painting before cleaning. (In Color.) Figure Nine Leonardo da Vinci, “Ginevra de’ Benci,” 1474 (Washington, D. C., National Gallery of Art). Detail of the woman’s face. In Color. Figure Ten Leonardo da Vinci, “Ginevra de’ Benci,” 1474 (National Gallery of Art, Washington). Detail of the woman’s shoulder, magnified six times. In Color. Figure Eleven Leonardo da Vinci, “Ginevra de’ Benci,” 1474 (National Gallery of Art, Washington). Detail of the woman’s shoulder, magnified twelve times. (In Color.) Figure Twelve Leonardo da Vinci, “Ginevra de’ Benci,” 1474 (Washington, D. C., National Gallery of Art). Detail of the woman’s ponytail, magnified twelve times. (In Color.) Figure Thirteen Leonardo da Vinci, “Ginevra de’ Benci,” 1474 (Washington, D. C., National Gallery of Art). Detail of the woman’s chin, magnified six times. (In color.) Figure Fourteen Lombard school, “Portrait of a Lady with a Pearl Cap” (Milan, Pinocoteca Ambrosiana). Painting is a profile portrait of a woman wearing a pearl necklace and a pearl cap. Figure Fifteen Leonardo da Vinci, “Lady with an Ermine,” 1489 (Cracow, Czartoryski Collection). Detail of the ermine, magnified forty times. (In Color.) Figure Sixteen Leonardo da Vinci, “Lady with an Ermine,” 1489 (Cracow, Czartoryski Collection). Detail of upper left corner of painting. (In Color.) Figure Seventeen Leonardo da Vinci, “Lady with an Ermine,” 1489 (Cracow, Czartoryski Collection). X-radiograph image of the painting. Figure Eighteen Leonardo da Vinci, “Lady with an Ermine,” 1489 (Cracow, Czartoryski Collection). Detail of left lower corner of painting, containing a monogram made up of an upside-down “L” connecting with the letter “V.” Figure Nineteen Leonardo da Vinci, “Portrait of Ginevra de’ Benci,” 1474 (Washington, D. C., National Gallery of Art). Infrared reflectograph, detail of right eye. Figure Twenty Leonardo da Vinci, “Ginevra de’ Benci,” 1474 (Washington, D. C., National Gallery of Art). Infrared reflectograph, detail. Figure Twenty-One Leonardo da Vinci, “Ginevra de’ Benci,” 1474 (Washington, D. C., National Gallery of Art). Detail of the landscape. (In Color.) Figure Twenty-Three Leonardo da Vinci, “Ginevra de’ Benci,” 1474 (Washington, D. C., National Gallery of Art). Detail of fingerprints near the woman’s eye. Twenty-Four Leonardo da Vinci, “Ginevra de’ Benci,” 1474 (Washington, D. C., National Gallery of Art). Detail of fingerprints near the woman’s nose.
  • Table:
  • Abstract:
  • Related Resources:
  • Author's Affiliation: National Gallery of Art, Washington
  • Conference Info: - , -
  • Year of Publication: 1992.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN/ISBN: 03919064