Portrait of a Venetian Woman
Portrait of a Young Venetian Woman is a small bust-length oil on elm panel painting by the German artist Albrecht Dürer from 1505.[1] It was executed, along with a number of other high-society portraits, during his second visit to Italy.
The woman wears a patterned gown with tied-on sleeves that show the chemise beneath. Her hair frames her face in soft waves, and back hair is confined in a small draped cap. The work's harmony and grace is achieved through its mixtures of tones, from her pale, elegant skin and reddish blond hair to her black-and pearl necklace and highly-fashionable patterned dress; all of which are highlighted against a flat black background.[2] It is similar in pose and colour tone to his c 1507 A German Woman from Venice, while at least two studies of Venetian women are known, both of which are very daring. One shows the model with a plunging neckline, the other with bare shoulders.[3]
During his visit to Italy Dürer became fascinated by and befriended Giovanni Bellini, an established master when Dürer was still a relative unknown outside of Germany. The Franconian artist's influence can be seen in this work's soft modeling, dramatic lighting and vivid colours and tones.[4][5]
The work was not identified as a Dürer original until it was found in a private Lithuanian collection in 1923. The identity of the sitter is lost; however, in dress and hairstyle, she appears to be Venetian, rather than Germanic.[4] The portrait is unfinished; a number of elements, noticeably the black bow above her chest, are not as well described as other passages.[2]
References
- ^ Krén, Emil; Marx, Daniel. "Portrait of a Young Venetian Woman". Web Gallery of Art. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
- ^ a b Bailey, Martin (1995). Dürer. London: Phidon Press. p. 86. ISBN 0-7148-3334-7.
- ^ Silver & Smith 2010, p. 101.
- ^ a b Silver & Smith 2010, p. 72.
- ^ Brion, Marcel (1960). Dürer. London: Thames and Hudson. p. 182.
Sources
- Silver, Larry; Smith, Jeffrey Chipps (2010). The Essential Dürer. University of Pennsylvania Press. p. 312. ISBN 0-8122-4187-8. JSTOR j.ctt3fhcdt. OCLC 794925814.
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