This famous painting of Leonardo da Vinci "Lady with ermine" portrays "Cecilia Gallerani, mistress of Ludovico Sforza (Duke of Milan) believed to be 17 at that time when Renaissance women contrived to look middle-aged before they were twenty". As to be observed, the Lady is looking elsewhere from the public, she seems to be listening to someone, or probably absorbed in her own fantasies. She turns her eyes away, that's why the painting conveys a certain air of tension and mystery emphasized by the enigmatic presence of the ermine.
"The delicate little animal has been identified as an ermine in its winter coat; according to legend these animals died if their white coats became dirty". It has also been said that "the ermine does not eat other than once a day, and it will rather be taken by hunters than escape into a dirty lair." It is interesting to note that this painting has inspired a lot of interpretations of both lady and ermine.
Source of Image: Wikipedia
Rembrandt was mostly interested in painting people. How they laugh, how they cry. He painted life, so to speak," Peter-Klaus Schuster (general director of the Museum of Old Master Paintings) said. Rembrandt's painting entitled Girl in a Picture Frame, which spent years in a private collection was only recently donated to Warsaw 's Royal Castle collection. "She has an exotic look and a mysterious presence". The outstanding feature of this painting is how the girl's hands seem to be touching the frame itself. It also called my attention how she seems to be following my eyes as I observed her from different angles.
Source: Bohemian Fine Art
Source of image: Wikipedia
Both of the above paintings are part of the temporary exhibits in the Royal Palace, Madrid courtesy of the Warsaw 's Royal Castle collection. I was lucky to have gone to see them. Two great works of art worth seeing a thousand times or more!
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