Raffaello (1483-1520)
La dama col liocorno (Lady with a Unicorn)
c.1505–1506
Oil on panel transferred to canvas, 67 x 56 cm
Galleria Borghese, Roma
The young woman depicted is a Florentine girl, as can be seen from the precious fashionable dress of the early sixteenth century – the gamurra – with wide red velvet sleeves and a marbled silk bodice. The painting, of which there is no certain documentary information, was most likely commissioned as a wedding gift. Some decorative details suggest this, in particular the stones of the pendant (ruby and sapphire), symbolic references allusive to the marital virtues and the virginal candour of the bride: an example is the scaramazza pearl, symbol of spiritual love and creative femininity, already from ancient times. The gold necklace itself, characterized by the knot, is a clear reference to the marriage bond. The presence of the little unicorn lying on her lap, a fantastic animal taken from medieval literature, an attribute of virginity, has been interpreted in the same way. The execution of the painting should date back to the years of his stay in Florence, preceding Raphael‘s move to Rome. (GB)
Compare with:
Raffaello (1483-1520)
Busto femminile
c.1505–1507
Musée du Louvre, Paris
Head and shoulders of a woman, in three-quarters profile facing left, with folded arms, possibly a study for The Lady with a Unicorn.