A Lady in Profile
- Artist: Sandro Botticelli
- Date: about 1490
- Medium: egg tempera on wood
- Museum: The National Gallery
- Collection record: The National Gallery website
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About this artwork
This is "A Lady in Profile" by Sandro Botticelli, although it's worth noting that this particular work was actually created by his workshop, not the master himself. As you can see, the woman in the painting has the typical features of a Renaissance beauty: fair hair, pale skin, and rosy lips. This idealised image was influenced by 14th-century poetic descriptions of beautiful women.
The face is considered the mirror of the soul, so these portraits also aimed to capture the character of their sitters. If you look closely at the back of the painting, you'll notice a winged figure standing on a rocky mound. The meaning of this image is unclear, but it's thought to symbolise the woman's moral character.
What's interesting about this piece is that it was painted in a time when men had already moved away from this type of pose, but women were still idealised for their modesty and beauty. The elaborate hairstyle and jewels are probably meant to represent an idealised woman rather than an actual person, as the laws of 15th-century Florence wouldn't have allowed such luxurious ornaments.
The Medici family, who ruled Florence at the time, had a fascination with these images of blonde women with long curls. Simonetta Vespucci, a favourite of Giuliano de' Medici, was often depicted in this way and her beauty was seen as a reflection of her good character.
As you can see, this painting is an egg tempera work on wood, typical for the period. The exact meaning of the symbols on the back of the painting remains unclear, but it's likely that they were intended to reflect the woman's virtues.
See it in person
A Lady in Profile hangs in The National Gallery on Trafalgar Square, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
