Global Breaking News - Sunday, April 6, 2025

Leonardo Da Vinci painted “The Lady with the Ermine” on a wooden panel in oils. To Italy, for the era in which this was painted, oil paint as a medium was quite new. By the 1470s, this style got properly introduced. Cecilia Gallerani was recognized in this painting as the sitter. Ludovico Sforza, who was Leonardo’s employer, had kept her as his mistress who was also referred to as “The Moor”.

Cecilia was aged sixteen at the time this was painted. Not belonging to the wealthy class, her family was large. Her father was under the Duke’s service at his court. Cecilia fame had lay not just in her beauty. She was also known to be a poet, as well as a scholar. At the age of ten, she was tied in marriage to a noblemen who belonged to the prestigious House of Visconti. Shortly after, they cancelled the marriage, as Cecilia gave the Duke a son as his mistress. However, the Duke married Beatrice, an upper-class girl.

With a half-length figure at display, Cecilia’s face is turned to her left while her body is facing slightly to the right. It seems as if she’s looking at someone around her very intently, rather than looking at us, or peering straight. Holding an ermine with her arms, Cecilia is dressed quite simplistically. This is indicative of her class.