Portrait of young woman with her son 1545

Agnolo Bronzino painted this oil on wood portrait of a young woman and her son in Florence, sometime in the mid-16th century. The sitters’ clothing speaks volumes about the material culture of the time. Notice the sumptuous silk damask of the woman’s dress, its complex woven pattern achieved with a drawloom, a technology that demanded expert knowledge and considerable labor. Her delicate lace collar was also a highly prized textile, made by hand, stitch by stitch. The gold jewelry and elaborate headwear only add to the sense of luxury. These details remind us that sumptuary goods were potent symbols of status in Renaissance society. By carefully rendering these textures and surfaces, Bronzino shows us not only who these people were, but also how they wished to be seen. The very act of commissioning this portrait was itself a statement, a way to permanently record and broadcast their elevated position in society.