Paolo Veronese, 1528–1588
Portrait of a Venetian Woman – La Belle Nani, circa 1560, oil on canvas
The Louvre Portrait of La Belle Nani exalts the beauty of a young woman, beautiful, fashionable, and virtuous!
It is believed that this is the Portrait of an aristocratic Venetian mother…
La Bella Nani, also known as Portrait of a Venetian Woman, is an oil painting on canvas depicting a wealthy noblewoman, painted by Paolo Veronese, c. 1560.
The painting is in the Louvre, in Paris, and on display in Room 711 in the Denon Wing.
The painting depicts a woman, at half-bust, who wears a fancy dress typical of the wealthy fashion of Venice at the time, especially the wide neckline and rich ornaments. The reserved attitude of the sitter and the ring on her left hand indicate that she is a married woman.
Her identity is unknown. The name of Nani came from the family that once supposedly owned the painting, and because of that it was thought that the subject was their membe
...r.
The work is considered one of the most beautiful female portraits of the 16th century. Veronese rarely portrayed women, only six of these portraits are known.
The painting was included by the French historian Paul Veyne in his book dedicated to Italian painting, Mon musée imaginaire, ou les chefs-d''śuvre de la peinture italienne
ABOUT ARTIST
PAOLO VERONESE (1528–1588), born Paolo Caliari in Verona, was a leading 16th-century Venetian Renaissance painter renowned for monumental, color-rich banquet scenes, allegories, and illusionistic frescoes. Alongside Titian and Tintoretto, he formed the ''great trio'' of Venetian painting. His masterpieces include The Wedding at Cana and the controversial Feast in the House of Levi.
Very professionally rendered by a competent hand in generously applied paint in a painterly fashion with even strokes and vibrant colour, finished with detail and presented to viewers with a warmth of charm and realism.
She wears a rich green velvet fabric dress , low cut with a ribbed bodice having cream silk ties.
Her arms are finished with decorative lace cuffs, over which she wears a lightweight clear satin viole negligee gown.
Richly dressed in jewels, rings adorn her finely painted fingers and a bracelet of cornelian beads around her wrist.There is a beautiful string of pearls around her elegant neck and a gold pendant tie adores her dress and lower skirt.The dress has woven gold thread escalope shoulder mounts.
The whole portrait is finished to a remarkably high standard and would grace the walls of any drawing room or hallway and certainly delivers everything a viewer would desire from such a beautiful and youthful painting, elegance, style, and a presence second to none.
The plaster moulded decorative swept gilt frame is perfect and enhances the work immensely.
FRAMED MEASUREMENTS
Height: 58 Inches ( 147.3 cm )
Width 46 Inches ( 116.8 cm )
Depth 3.3'''' Inches ( 8.3 cm )
CONDITION
Excellent order throughout and ready to hang.
DELIVERY
UK By Art Courier / Packed ( 7-10 Days ) Ł150
WORLDWIDE : EU Ł800 / USA Ł900
TELEPHONE ENQUIRIES: 07765 856171
Quote Ref 0866
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Antique ID Number (AIDN): SA1191968
Dateline of this antique is 1960
Height is 147.3cm (58.0inches)Width is 116.8cm (46.0inches)Depth is 8.3cm (3.3inches)
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