Ginevra de' Benci resides at the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC. Follow the link to see more 15th Century Florentine Portraiture.
Ginerva is an educated women from a wealthy family. Her 3/4 portrait breaks tradition as it shows a female sitter looking directly at the audience. This view, as opposed to the profile view, allowed Leonardo to depict the personality and character of Ginerva, the sitter. The profile view was more informal, a colder representation. She is sitting in front of a juniper bush, possibly "an allusion to the name "Ginevra" (the Italian for juniper is ginepro)."
In this marriage portrait, Ginerva is unique as the painting was done on BOTH sides of the wood panel. This was uncommon in the 1470's, let alone in any era. The back of the panel contains an inscription, VIRTUTEM FORMA DECORAT (she adorns her virtue with beauty), which scholars interpret to connect her with the attributes relevant to the sitter's status as a bride.
Tomorrow...The Lady with the Ermine
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