Portrait of a Lady as St. Lucy 1500

Giovanni Antonio Boltraffio's "Portrait of a Lady as St. Lucy" (c. 1500) is a masterful example of High Renaissance portraiture. The sitter's serene expression and delicate features, reminiscent of Leonardo da Vinci's style, are accentuated by the subtle chiaroscuro and soft, sfumato transitions. The inclusion of a small cross necklace and the St. Lucy's symbol, a pair of eyes, suggests a religious context, alluding to the patron saint of sight. This artwork, now in the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum in Madrid, captures the beauty and grace of a young woman while subtly connecting her to a spiritual realm.