This beautiful late 16th-century Italian oil on leather depicts a lady wearing an exquisite hair ensemble consisting of pearls and rubies set in gold. It’s an exceptionally rare piece with a comparable example at the V&A Museum in London.Produced during the late Renaissance period, when Italy was still captivated by the works of Titian (c.1488-1576) and Paolo Veronese (1528-1588), this remarkable survivor has witnessed around 450 years of history. Evidently of high status and wealth, the sitter is presented atop a tooled and stamped background, and carefully rendered in oil.16th-century portraits on leather are scarce when compared to popular mediums, such as wood, canvas and paper, and were usually intended as decorative enhancements to household furnishings or wall hangings. With this in mind, it’s plausible that it was once displayed at her residence, perhaps along with a portrait of her spouse.Her hair jewellery is typical for the period and features strands of pearls i...