Portrait of a Young Woman

Young Women

Previously attributed to Agnolo Bronzino (Italian, 1503-1572). Portrait of a Lady, ca. 1560. Oil on panel, 28 3/4 in. x 22 1/2 in. (73.03 cm x 57.15 cm). San Diego Museum of Art, museum purchase with funds provided by Anne R. and Amy Putnam, 1940.75. Image courtesy of San Diego Museum of Art, www.sdmart.org.

Other paintings from this time of aristocratic women are similar but also very different from this piece. This work follows the typical aspects of portraits of young women: she wears highly detailed jewelry and has marble smooth skin. One distinct difference between this painting and other paintings of women is her facial expression. It was common for noble women to be painted with a cool and collected demeanor, while this woman was depicted with an aloof facial expression.