Portrait of a Woman, known as The Courtesan

Like other Venetian paintings of women from the early 16th century, this work was traditionally believed to be a portrait of a courtesan. Actually, these portraits had precise allusions to marriage: the woman here represented shows her breast, a symbol of fertility, an offering of love, and a seductive appeal. She has loose hair, a tradition of Venetian brides, and wears a white blouse, a typical element of the bride’s trousseau and a symbol of chastity.

Jacopo Palma the Elder, Venetian by adoption, was famous for these half-length images of attractively plump women, in which he provided his own interpretation of a model invented by Titian. We present this painting thanks to the Poldi Pezzoli Museum. <3

P.S. Here's a selection of the best ladies in red; see famous red dresses in art!