The ''Portrait of a Young Woman'', also known as ''La Muta'', is an oil on wood portrait by the
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance language
*** Regional Ita ...
Renaissance
The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ideas ...
artist
Raphael
Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino, better known as Raphael (; or ; March 28 or April 6, 1483April 6, 1520), was an Italian painter and architect of the High Renaissance. List of works by Raphael, His work is admired for its clarity of form, ease of ...
, executed ''c.'' 1507–1508. It is housed in the
Galleria Nazionale delle Marche
The Ducal Palace ( it, Palazzo Ducale) is a Renaissance building in the Italian city of Urbino in the Marche. One of the most important monuments in Italy, it is listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998.
History
The construction of the ...
, in
Urbino
Urbino ( ; ; Romagnol: ''Urbìn'') is a walled city in the Marche region of Italy, south-west of Pesaro, a World Heritage Site notable for a remarkable historical legacy of independent Renaissance culture, especially under the patronage of ...
.
The picture portrays an unknown noblewoman over a near-black background, showing some
Leonardesque influences.
Ingrid D. Rowland writes that "the vivid contrast between dark background and luminous skin ... would one day inspire Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio to change his palette — in Rome — and become the
Caravaggio
Michelangelo Merisi (Michele Angelo Merigi or Amerighi) da Caravaggio, known as simply Caravaggio (, , ; 29 September 1571 – 18 July 1610), was an Italian painter active in Rome for most of his artistic life. During the final four years of hi ...
we know best." Although only recently attributed to Raphael, ''La Muta'' is ranked among the best portraits by his hand.
The neatness of the large areas of colour that emerge in lighter tones from the background, and the analytical treatment of the details of the woman's clothing, are characteristic of Raphael. The dispersive effect of this attention to detail is fully compensated by the tones of colour — used here in a fairly limited range — which unify the composition as a whole.
Nicoletta Baldini describes the hands in this portrait as "vibratile," distinguishing it from those painted by Michelangelo or Da Vinci.
Ingrid D. Rowland writes that the "austerely attractive young noblewoman ... is poking her index finger against the edge of the picture, literally, and knowingly, pushing its envelope of illusion — hence the mischievous glint in her eye."
X-ray analysis has shown the presence of an early Raphael drawing under the painting, of a female, young face with soft features, with later modifications.
See also
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List of paintings by Raphael
The following is a list of paintings by Italian Renaissance painter Raphael. Together with Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci he forms the traditional trinity of great masters of that period. He was enormously prolific, despite his early death at ...
Notes
References
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External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Portrait Of A Young Woman (La Muta)
Young Woman
Young Woman (La Muta)
1500s paintings
Young Woman
Collections of the Galleria Nazionale delle Marche