Diminutive and jewel like 16th century Italian late Renaissance portrait of a noblewoman. The size and oval format of this work being consistent with the intimate and portable nature of such high-status commissions. The sitter represents the idealised beauty standards of the late Renaissance or Mannerist period. She has a high, smooth forehead, pale porcelain skin with a subtle, rosy flush on her cheeks, and delicate features. Her dark eyes engage directly with us, and her expression is calm, composed, and enigmatic.The sitters high status is further confirmed by her jewellery and this includes an impressive table cut ruby which is set in gold and pinned in her hair, from which a single pearl is suspended. The placement of this jewel is significant as a high forehead was a standard of Renaissance beauty, and wearing a striking jewel at the center of the hairline draws the viewer''s eye directly to this idealised feature, highlighting the forehead''s breadth and the sitters per...