Portrait of a Young Woman

Fashion

Lucas Cranach the Elder (German, ca. 1472-1553). Portrait of a Young Lady Holding Apples and Grapes, ca. 1528. Oil on panel transferred with canvas, 81.6 x 55 cm. (32.1 x 21.7 in.) Private Collection.

The woman in this painting is adorned in the latest fashions of her time. During this period, sumptuary laws limited the extravagance of women’s dress. The majority of these laws focused on the restricting of sexually mature but not yet married women. This style of dress has a high collar partlet covering her shoulders but remaining open at the throat. The sleeves and bodice were the most decorated part of an outfit, while the lower portions were mostly plain, except for decorated shoes. Because women used fashion to form their public image, this style of dress was a common choice for the women of this time to be painted in.