''Portrait of a Young Venetian Woman'' is a small bust-length oil on elm panel painting by the German artist

Albrecht Dürer Albrecht Dürer (; ; hu, Ajtósi Adalbert; 21 May 1471 – 6 April 1528),Müller, Peter O. (1993) ''Substantiv-Derivation in Den Schriften Albrecht Dürers'', Walter de Gruyter. . sometimes spelled in English as Durer (without an umlaut) or Due ...

from 1505. It was executed, along with a number of other high-society portraits, during his second visit to Italy. She wears a patterned gown with tied-on sleeves that show the chemise beneath. Her hair frames her face in soft waves, and her back hair is confined in a small draped cap. The work's harmony and grace are achieved through its mixtures of tones, from her pale, elegant skin and reddish blond hair to her black-and-pearl necklace and highly fashionable patterned dress, all of which are highlighted against a flat black background. It is similar in pose and colour tone to his c. 1507 ''A German Woman from Venice'', while at least two studies of Venetian women are known, both of which are very daring. One shows the model with a plunging neckline, the other with bare shoulders. During his visit to Italy Dürer became fascinated by

Giovanni Bellini Giovanni Bellini (; c. 1430 – 26 November 1516) was an Italian Renaissance painter, probably the best known of the Bellini family of Venetian painters. He was raised in the household of Jacopo Bellini, formerly thought to have been his father ...

, eventually becoming friends. Bellini was already an established master when Dürer was still relatively unknown outside of Germany. The Franconian artist's influence can be seen in this work's soft modeling, dramatic lighting and vivid colours and tones. The work was not identified as a Dürer original until it was found in a private

Lithuanian Lithuanian may refer to: * Lithuanians * Lithuanian language * The country of Lithuania * Grand Duchy of Lithuania * Culture of Lithuania * Lithuanian cuisine * Lithuanian Jews as often called "Lithuanians" (''Lita'im'' or ''Litvaks'') by other Jew ...

collection in 1923. The identity of the sitter is lost; however, in dress and hairstyle, she appears to be Venetian rather than Germanic. The portrait is unfinished; a number of elements, noticeably the black bow above her chest, are not as well described as in other passages. {

References

Sources

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Portrait of a Venetian Woman Portraits by Albrecht Dürer 1505 paintings Paintings in the Kunsthistorisches Museum Portraits of women

See also

References

Sources