The artwork titled “Portrait of a Young Woman,” created by Domenico Ghirlandaio around 1490, is a tempera painting on wood, exemplifying the Early Renaissance art movement. Measuring 44 by 32 centimeters, this portrait is housed at the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum in Lisbon, Portugal.
The artwork portrays a young woman, her visage exuding a serene and contemplative expression. Her gaze is directed slightly to the left, away from the viewer, suggesting a sense of introspection. Her light complexion is complemented by the delicate rendering of her facial features, with soft, slightly waved brown hair partly covered by a simple, white headdress. The young woman is adorned in a red garment, accentuated by an intricate border design, over an inner layer of light-colored fabric. A vibrant red bead necklace rests around her neck, adding to her composed elegance. The background of the painting is dark, which serves to highlight the clarity and luminosity of her form, a technique characteristic of the Renaissance period. Overall, Ghirlandaio’s meticulous attention to detail and the harmonious composition encapsulate the poise and refinement of the subject.
