Lady with an Ermine - Leonardo da Vinci, c. 1489–1491

Lady with an Ermine

Leonardo da Vinci, c. 1489–1491
Oil on walnut panel
Czartoryski Museum, Kraków

One of the most captivating portraits of the Italian Renaissance, Lady with an Ermine showcases Leonardo da Vinci at the height of his artistic power. Painted around 1489–1491 while he was serving at the court of Ludovico Sforza, Duke of Milan, the sitter is believed to be Cecilia Gallerani, the duke’s young mistress—intelligent, cultured, and already a published poet by her teens.

In her arms, she gently cradles an ermine—an animal loaded with symbolism. Traditionally a sign of purity and virtue, the ermine was also Ludovico's personal emblem, and possibly a pun on Cecilia’s surname (from the Greek galé, meaning weasel). In one portrait, Leonardo captures youth, intellect, beauty, and political subtlety.

The composition itself is revolutionary: Cecilia is caught mid-turn, as if she’s just looked away from something—or someone. The animal mirrors her motion in a striking contrapposto, highlighting Leonardo’s deep understanding of movement and anatomy. Her long, braided hair, elegant dress, and gentle hands are rendered with the soft precision of Leonardo’s sfumato technique, echoing the serene grace of the Mona Lisa.

Once mistaken as damaged, modern restoration has revealed the painting to be in remarkable condition. Its original background—now overpainted in black—was likely a soft bluish-gray. Even Leonardo’s fingerprints remain visible in the paint, a haunting trace of the master himself.

Today, Lady with an Ermine is one of Poland’s most prized national treasures. It resides in the Czartoryski Museum, a symbol not just of Renaissance genius, but of the layered lives behind history’s most beautiful portraits.