Lady with an Ermine - Leonardo da Vinci

A Da Vinci portrait which is much more than a lesser-known Mona Lisa.

Everyone knows Mona Lisa, the world’s most famous painting. Yet Leonardo da Vinci painted three other portraits of women during his life: ‘Ginevra de ‘Benci’, ‘Portrait of an Unknown Woman’ (or ‘La Belle Ferronnière’) and the one that interests us this week: ‘The Lady with an Ermine’.

‘Lady with an Ermine’ - Leonardo da Vinci (1489-1491), Czartoryski Museum (Krakow, Poland)

Leonardo da Vinci (1452 - 1519) took residence at the court of the Duke of Milan, Ludovico Sforza, in 1482, where he became the official court painter. Sometime after 1488, he was likely commissioned to portray the Duke’s young mistress, Cecilia Gallerani. Despite not being born into a noble family, Cecilia became a favorite of the Duke due to her beauty and intellectual prowess.

The affair between Cecilia and the Duke lasted until 1492, after she gave birth to a son. However, the Duke married Beatrice d’Este two years earlier and was forced to end this relationship with Cecilia. She had to leave the court but went away with the painting, likely as a farewell gift given by the Duke.

This timeline aligns with the dating of the painting, supported by an Italian poet who mentioned it in a text written in 1493.

Later studies revealed that da Vinci’s painting underwent several revisions including the dress and the ermine, added and modified in the later versions. These alterations may have been intended to convey the enduring connection between Cecilia and Ludovico, despite their separation.

Significance of the Hermine

The ermine thus holds a significant symbolic meaning. Its white coat is associated with purity. But the small animal may also symbolize Ludovico Sforza himself, who was known as "the White Ermine" after being awarded the Order of the Ermine by the King of Naples in 1488.

The ermine could also be a pun on Cecilia's last name, Gallerani, as "galé" means ermine in Greek. The animal could therefore be seen as a symbol representing the two lovers.

Weasels, including ermines, were a popular subject in Renaissance portraiture, not only for their decorative appeal but also for their symbolic meaning. They were believed to protect pregnant women, and in this painting, the ermine subtly suggests what cannot be seen due to the composition’s close framing.

Portrait Innovations

The ‘Lady with an Ermine’ concentrates all the latest innovations of portraiture, notably inspired Antonello da Messina’s works: the three-quarter pose, the face turned towards the viewer, the dark and plain background highlighting the subject.

‘Portrait of a Man’ - Antonello da Messina (1473), National Gallery (London)

The grace of the hand gesture is also significant. With the shift away from profile portraits, painters became meticulous in depicting hands. More than a display of elegance, it was an opportunity to showcase their anatomical knowledge.

The sense of movement is also particularly striking. It seems that Cecilia is turning her head as if someone was calling to her. This dynamic quality sets the painting apart from other portraits of the time:

‘Portrait of a Young Lady’ (identified as Beatrice d’Este) by a follower of Da Vinci (ca. 1500)

Compared to da Vinci’s masterpiece, the Duchess Beatrice, despite being painted a decade later, appears frozen, inanimate and, above all, forgettable.

This is the essence of da Vinci’s modernity.

Comparison with other da Vinci’s portraits

Chronologically, the ‘Lady with an Ermine’ is the second portrait painted by Leonardo da Vinci. The evolution with his first one, ‘Ginevra de’ Benci’, painted 15 years earlier, is remarkable:

‘Ginevra de’ Benci’ - Leonardo da Vinci (1474 - 1476), National Gallery of Art (Washington)

Although the posture of the lady and the techniques used, including the famous sfumato made iconic by the Mona Lisa, are similar, the real difference lies in how the subject is animated. The ‘Lady with an Ermine’ exhibits more emotion, depth, and life.

The addition of the hands and the ermine brings something that was missing to da Vinci’s earlier works. The details are finer and, naturally, the techniques more mastered. The role of light has evolved too in order to help da Vinci achieve his objective of creating faithful renditions of life.

History has given an unfortunate link with ‘La Belle Ferronnière’, the following portrait painted by the master. The words “LA BELE FERONIERE LEONARD D’AWINCI” are indeed written on the top left corner of the ‘Lady with an Ermine’:

These words are thought to have been added by a restorer in the 19th century. The Polish prince Adam Czartoryski offered it to his mother Izabela as the was establishing the country’s first museum. She confused the subject with the Mistress of King Francis I of France. The error was rectified only in the 20th century.

‘La Belle Ferronnière’ - Leonardo da Vinci (1490 - 1496), Louvre Museum (Paris)

‘La Belle Ferronière’ is very similar to the ‘Lady with an Ermine’, with the posture, the emotion and the dark background, though it lacks additional details like the hands and the small animal. Both portraits, in any case, were harbinger of the success and popularity of da Vinci’s subsequent and final portrait!