Portrait of a Florentine Lady 1620 - 1700

This "Portrait of a Florentine Lady" was drawn by Justus Sustermans with pen and brown ink and red chalk. Notice the handkerchief she holds; a symbol of elegance and status, yet its presence is far more profound. The handkerchief, or mappa, traces back to ancient Rome, where it was dropped to signal the start of games. Over time, its function evolved from practicality to a complex cultural artifact. Consider how the simple act of holding a cloth embodies a continuum of human expression. In medieval art, similar textiles appear in religious contexts, clutched by saints or offered in scenes of mourning. The mappa's transformation across epochs shows us how our collective memory reinterprets these symbols, layering them with new emotional weight. Doesn't the lady's gentle grasp evoke a sense of fragility, as if she's holding onto a fleeting moment?