1500
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Allegorical Figure: Woman with Sword and Sphere is a 1500 by Francesco Francia, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This image shows a woman standing with one hand on a sword and the other holding a round object. She’s dressed in flowing robes, and behind her is a dark background with a tree branch and a few flowers. The scene looks like it’s set outdoors, with a rough stone ledge at her feet. The dark, shadowy style makes her stand out sharply against the background. This kind of contrast is called *chiaroscuro*—a technique that uses strong light and dark to create depth. Look up chiaroscuro next to see how artists used it to add drama to their work.
Francesco Francia, whose real name was Francesco Raibolini (1447 – 5 January 1517), was an Italian painter, goldsmith, and medallist from Bologna, who was also director of the city mint.
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