Portrait of the Duchess Barbara of Saxony, 1478-1534 (wife of George the Bearded)
1545
unspecified
From the collection of Statens Museum for Kunst
This woman wears a white cap and a dark, high-collared dress with a light undershirt. Her sleeves are pushed up, showing bare forearms. A gold necklace with a small pendant sits at her throat, and her hands rest gently in her lap. The background is a plain, dark green. Her clothes look simple but clean, with careful brushstrokes on the fabric folds. The light hits her face and hands, making them stand out against the dark. This style of lighting is called *chiaroscuro*—try looking up how artists used it to create depth. Next, check out how *chiaroscuro* worked in other portraits.
