La Vedova Romana 1575 - 1585

"La Vedova Romana" is an etching by Pietro Bertelli created between 1575 and 1585. It depicts a Roman widow in traditional attire, standing with her head covered by a veil. The delicate lines and shading of Bertelli's etching capture the flowing drapery and the woman's contemplative pose, offering a glimpse into the lives of women in 16th-century Rome. The etching, now housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, is a significant example of the Italian Renaissance's focus on realism and the study of human form.