Lady with an Ermine

The Lady with an Ermine is a portrait painting by Leonardo da Vinci. He made it around 1489–1491. The painting shows a young woman named Cecilia Gallerani. She was close to Ludovico Sforza, the Duke of Milan. Leonardo worked for the Sforza court at that time.

Today, the painting is kept in the Czartoryski Museum in Kraków. People think it is very important. It is one of only four known portraits of women painted by Leonardo. The others are Ginevra de' Benci, La Belle Ferronnière, and the famous Mona Lisa.

Description

Composition

The painting was made with oil paints on a small wooden board. It shows a woman turning left, holding a small animal. The paint is smooth and even, like another famous painting by the same artist. The wood is thin and from the same tree as that other painting.

The Lady

The woman in the painting is Cecilia Gallerani, who worked with the ruler of the time. She wears fancy clothes that show the fashion of the period. The artist focused on small details, like the shape of her fingernails and how her hand moved.

The ermine

The small animal in Cecilia’s arms looks like an ermine but might be an albino ferret. It is larger than a real ermine, which may mean it stands for an idea instead of a real animal. The ermine represents purity and balance, ideas that match the painting’s theme. It may also relate to Cecilia’s personal life and her future marriage.

Attribution

In the 20th century, many people agreed that the Lady with an Ermine was painted by Leonardo da Vinci. They thought it was his work because of its style. The way light and shadow are used, the tiny details, and the calm feeling are all typical of Leonardo’s art.

Dating

The Lady with an Ermine was painted by Leonardo while he lived in Milan, between 1489 and 1491. At that time, Leonardo worked for the rulers of Milan.

Background

The painting Lady with an Ermine by Leonardo da Vinci shows Cecilia Gallerani, who was about sixteen years old when it was made. She was known for her beauty and was a special friend of Leonardo's employer, the Duke of Milan.

The painting was not well-known for many years. It was bought by a Polish prince in 1798 and became part of a famous art collection. Over time, it traveled to many places around the world. After World War II, it was returned to Poland and displayed in museums. In 2016, the Polish government bought the painting for a large amount of money, and it continues to be shown in Kraków today.