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The Lady with an Ermine

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The Lady with an Ermine
Leonardo Da Vinci painted “The Lady With An Ermine” in 1490. “The Lady With An Ermine” is a portrait of Cecilia Gallerani. Cecilia Gallerani was the favourite and most celebrated mistresses of Ludovico Sforza, known as Ludovico Il Moro, Duke of Milan. She was the subject of Leonardo’s painting “The Lady With An Ermine”. While posing for this painting Cecilia invited Leonardo, who was working for Sforza as court artist, to meetings at which Milanese intellectuals discussed philosophy and other subjects. At the time this was happening, Cecilia was only 17. “The Lady With An Ermine” has been heavily painting but does not capture the viewer’s eye straight away. It consists of Cecilia Gallerani and a white Ermine which was Ludovico’s heraldic emblem. The Ermine’s white fur was viewed as a symbol of purity. The Ermine obviously trusts Cecilia in order to sit there for the amount of time it took. Cecilia looks to be standing up but her body tilts three-quarters to her right but heard head is turned to her left. Her hair appears to have been folded under her chin and tied into a long plait at the back which is all held back with a gauze veil. Her dress is simple which states that she was not a noblewoman. The lines on Cecilia’s face suggest that she is contemplating and listening to a “third party” that we cannot see. There is a slight smile on her mouth but her eyes are blank like she is concentrating on something or someone beyond the frame. The ermine’s eyes and the lines of its face suggest that it is uncomfortable being in that position. “The Lady With An Ermine” is a very fine and detailed painting and shows every wrinkle around her knuckles and the contour of her fingernails. Leonardo Da Vinci painted this with so much detail that you can see nearly every strand of the Ermine’s fur and the detail of Cecilia’s dress. You cannot see her ears but according to society her eyes are small but her nose sits perfectly in the middle of her face. The tone used in “The Lady With An Ermine” is one of a dark shade and with the dark black in the background, it really brings out the colour in Cecilia’s red and green colour of the dress. Cecilia’s skin tone is bright compared to the rest of the painting which makes her stand out. The Ermine is more of a cream colour than pure white that makes the viewer question whether it is a ferret or Ermine.
Colour is an important aspect of this painting and it shows us just how good Leonardo Da Vinci was at painting. Cecilia’s skin tone really brings out the colour of her hair and it makes her eyes blend in. Da Vinci has even added the shadows that her fingers make when they rest on the Ermine’s fur.

“The Lady With An Ermine” is valued by the society because it was one of four female portraits of women that Leonardo Da Vinci painted. It also views that Leonardo was truly an expert at painting with oil paints.

Leonardo Da Vinci’s work uses oil paint, charcoal and paint. And it tells society that he really is one of the greatest artists that have ever lived.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Websites

www.Leonardo3OfficialWebsite.com

www.rottentometoes.com/Cecilia_Gallerani

www.topfart.com/Leonardo_Da_Vinci

www.wikipedia.com.au/The_Lady_With_An_Ermine

Bibliography: Websites www.Leonardo3OfficialWebsite.com www.rottentometoes.com/Cecilia_Gallerani www.topfart.com/Leonardo_Da_Vinci www.wikipedia.com.au/The_Lady_With_An_Ermine

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