Artwork
Portrait of a Woman (Agnese, the painter’s sister-in-law?)
Portrait of a Woman (Agnese, the painter’s sister-in-law?) is an oil painting by the Mannerist artist Bernardino Licinio. It dates from 1525 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The work depicts a woman as its sole subject, functioning as a straightforward portrait without elaborate allegorical attributes or complex iconography.
The work depicts a woman as its sole subject, functioning as a straightforward portrait without elaborate allegorical attributes or complex iconography. While the title suggests a potential identification as Agnese, the sister-in-law of the artist Bernardino Licinio, the visual evidence presented in available records confirms only the presence of a female figure. Created in 1525, the painting represents a specific individual rather than an abstract concept or religious symbol.
The composition focuses entirely on the likeness of the sitter, adhering to the conventions of sixteenth-century portraiture where the primary meaning lies in the documentation of the person's appearance and status.
Technique & Style
The work is executed in oil paint on canvas, a standard support for sixteenth-century Italian portraiture. Its dimensions are 98 cm in height by 70 cm in width.
Stylistically, the painting belongs to the portrait genre, presenting a single female sitter. The handling reflects Licinio's mature portrait practice of the 1520s, characterized by sober modeling and direct characterization typical of Lombard painters working in the tradition of Giorgione and early Titian.
No specific information regarding the painting's current condition, surface state, or conservation history is documented in the available sources.
History & Provenance
The portrait, attributed to Bernardino Licinio, is dated to 1525. It was executed in oil paint on canvas, measuring 98 cm in height and 70 cm in width. While the specific commission details and the initial ownership chain are not detailed in the provided records, the work's creation is firmly placed in the mid-1520s.
The painting subsequently entered the collection of the Museo del Prado, where it is currently held. The subject is identified as a woman, with some scholarly speculation suggesting she may be Agnese, the painter's sister-in-law, though this identification remains tentative.
The painting is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado in Madrid. While specific inventory or accession numbers are not provided in the available records, the work is cataloged within the museum's holdings as an oil on canvas portrait created by Bernardino Licinio. The piece, which depicts a woman and dates to 1525, measures 98 cm in height and 70 cm in width. No specific exhibition history for this work is documented in the current sources.
Overview
Created in 1525 by the Italian painter Bernardino Licinio, this oil on canvas portrait presents a seated woman rendered with the compositional clarity typical of the High Renaissance yet infused with early Mannerist sensibilities. The work is part of the Museo del Prado’s collection and is frequently identified as a likeness of Agnese, Licinio’s sister‑in‑law, though the identification remains tentative.
Context
During the 1520s, Licinio worked across Venice and Lombardy, responding to the shifting tastes of patrons who favored individualized portraiture over purely religious subjects. This work reflects that trend, offering a personalized representation that balances the naturalism of the High Renaissance with the stylized elegance that would characterize later Mannerist portraiture.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Bernardino Licinio (c. 1489 in Poscante – 1565) was an Italian High Renaissance painter of Venice and Lombardy. He mainly painted portraits and religious canvases.
