Leonardo da Vinci
Today we have something special for you—the famous painting of Leonardo da Vinci of the hypnotizing Lady with an Ermine. <3 This painting is available to buy as a high-quality print in our DailyArt Prints shop. Check it out, its quality will sweep you off your feet!
Who doesn't love Leonardo da Vinci? The subject of this famous portrait is Cecilia Gallerani, painted when she was the mistress of Ludovico Sforza, Duke of Milan, and Leonardo was in the Duke's service. It is one of only four portraits of women painted by Leonardo. Cecilia was from a large family that was neither wealthy nor noble. Her father served for a time at the Duke's court. When her portrait was painted, she was about 16 years old and was renowned for her beauty, scholarship, and poetry. She was married to a young nobleman of the house of Visconti around the age of six, but she sued for annulment in 1487 for undisclosed reasons, and the request was granted. She became the Duke's mistress and bore him a son, even after his marriage to Beatrice d'Este 11 years prior. Beatrice was promised to the Duke when she was only 5 and married him when she was 16 in 1491. A few months after the wedding, she discovered that the Duke was still seeing Gallerani and forced the Duke to end the relationship by having her married off to a local count named Bergamino.
P.S. Do you like the Lady with an Ermine? Here you will find a more detailed look at this painting.