What is the meaning behind Lady with an Ermine?

The Lady With an Ermine is a portrait of Cecilia Gallerani, an alluring young woman from the Milanese court who was a favorite mistress of Ludovico Sforza, the married Duke of Milan. The duke, who was da Vinci’s patron and champion for 18 years, was nicknamed “the white ermine”.

Is ermine white mink?

Mink (Mustela vison) Least Weasel (Mustela rixosa), Ermine (Short-tailed Weasel)(Mustela erminea) Mink are a rich dark or russet brown weasel with a white chin and white spots on the throat and breast. Their heads are short and they have a pointed muzzle.

Where is the lady with an ermine now?

The Lady with an Ermine is a painting by Leonardo da Vinci, painted in Milan around 1490. It depicts a mistress of the Duke of Milan Ludovico Sforza, Cecilia Gallerani. She is holding a white ermine in her arms, the duke’s heraldic animal. The portrait is now in the Czartoryski Muzeum in the Polish city of Krakow.

What does the ermine mean in a Renaissance portrait?

The ermine is a symbol of moderation and purity, and as such, its inclusion is appropriate for a portrait of a mistress of a Renaissance duke. Scholars also pointed to the fact that the Greek word for ermine is galé, thus it is a play on the Cecelia’s surname (Gallerani).

When did Leonardo da Vinci paint Lady with an ermine?

Click Image to view detail. Lady with an Ermine is a painting by Leonardo da Vinci, from around 1489-1490. That stunning picture is 40.3 cm wide and 54.8 cm high, oil on walnut board. Unfortunately, the original background has been overlaid probably in the 17th c.

Is Cecilia Gallerani the subject of Lady with an ermine?

… The portrait Lady with an ermine (1489-1490) by Leonardo Da Vinci depicts Cecilia Gallerani, the teenage mistress of Ludovico Sforza, the regent and later the Duke of Milan. While some scholars doubted this identification, ample evidence affirms Cecilia Gallerani is the subject of Lady with an ermine.