Antonio and Piero del Pollaiolo
Today's painting is one of the most celebrated portraits from the Renaissance era. Framed against a vivid blue sky, the delicate outline of the woman's profile is sharply defined. Her hair, elegantly arranged under a veil, is adorned with a delicate string of pearls. The lavish attire, hairstyle, and jewelry hint at her likely status as a distinguished figure within the Florentine elite. Originating around 1470, this piece is a key part of a series of female portraits created in the latter half of the 15th century by the Florentine workshop led by Antonio and Piero del Pollaiolo. The meticulous attention to the play of light on the woman's blond hair, the pearls, the gemstones, and her complexion reflect the influence of the innovative techniques brought to Italy by Flemish painters of the time. The identity of the subject of the portrait remains unclear. Various names have been proposed, including the wife of the banker Giovanni de' Bardi (based on the probably false inscription on the work's verso "UXOR JOHANNIS DE BARDI"), Marietta Strozzi, or a woman of the Belgioioso family.
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