Lady with an Ermine & The School of Athens: Masterpieces by Da Vinci & Raphael
Lady with an Ermine
Lady with an Ermine is believed to depict Cecilia Gallerani, the mistress of Ludovico Sforza, Duke of Milan. It is one of four portraits of women painted by Leonardo da Vinci, including the Mona Lisa. Despite some damage sustained during World War II, including a repainted door at the bottom and some alterations to the model’s fingers and veil, it is in better condition than other paintings by Leonardo.
Cecilia holds and touches what is normally considered an ermine, depicted with precision and vivacity. There have been numerous interpretations of the presence of this animal.
- Stoats were associated with the aristocracy, and Cecilia’s relationship with this symbol may have been intentional.
- It has been understood as a symbol of purity due to its white fur.
- In medieval bestiaries, the ermine represented virtues such as balance and tranquility, suggesting that Leonardo may have deliberately transferred these virtues to Cecilia Gallerani, thanks to the similar poses of the lady and the animal.
However, some ethologists who have examined the painting believe the animal is not an ermine but a white ferret, a common pet in the Middle Ages. This is because the ermine is wild and difficult to train, making it an unlikely model for Leonardo, who was known for his slow and thoughtful painting process. In contrast, the domesticated ferret is more docile and was relatively easy to find in the Lombardy countryside at the time.
As in many of Leonardo’s portraits, the pyramidal composition implies a downward spiral, and the subject is captured moving while turning to the left, reflecting Leonardo’s lifelong concern for the dynamics of movement. The three-quarter profile portrait was one of his many innovations. Cecilia poses as if listening to someone outside the painting while simultaneously possessing the solemn nonchalance of an ancient statue. An imperceptible smile on her lips suggests her emotions, as Leonardo preferred to suggest rather than explicitly present them.
This work showcases da Vinci’s ability to paint the human form. Cecilia’s outstretched hand is painted in great detail, with the outline of each fingernail, wrinkle, and even the tendon in her bent finger meticulously rendered. Da Vinci had practiced drawing portraits of people with animals in his journals to perfect his technique.
X-rays revealed that he had initially painted a window to the left of the lady, explaining the intense light and the effect of the reflections we see today.
The School of Athens
Topic: Plato and Aristotle, the two great Greek philosophers, converse as they approach a bustling group of ancient sages.
Visual Elements: The brushstrokes, the softness of the design, and the harmony of colors reflect the inner peace that Raphael wanted to communicate with his work. The apparent simplicity of this fresco is the result of precise drawing and a detailed study of proportions, attitudes, and the distribution of figures. The predominant cool colors contrast with those of The Disputation of the Holy Sacrament, which is devoted to theology and located in the same room.
Composition: The scene takes place within an architectural setting inspired by Bramante’s design for St. Peter’s Basilica and classical Roman buildings. The niches with statues of Apollo and Minerva are also based on classical models. The perspective lines converge on the figures of Plato and Aristotle. The architecture defines the progression in depth of the various figures. Although the other characters appear to be distributed randomly, a closer look reveals that they are arranged in clusters, each with its leading figures and its own dynamics and relationships.
Content: This fresco represents the spirit of Renaissance culture and celebrates the rational search for truth. The scene includes a large number of philosophers from antiquity. Raphael did not include any contemporary thinkers because he felt that, since the Greeks, philosophers had been limited to commenting on their predecessors.
At the center of the composition are the two great sages: Plato, with the features of Leonardo da Vinci, and Aristotle. Plato raises his hand and holds the Timaeus, his book on the origin of the cosmos. Aristotle points his hand towards the ground, indicating his focus on tangible and human reality.
In the group on the left, Pythagoras, the personification of arithmetic and music, reads, surrounded by a group intently focused on his explanations. Among them is the turbaned figure of Averroes. Further to the left is Epicurus, who also reads a book held by a child.