Who painted Portrait of a Roman Lady (La Nanna)?

Portrait of a Roman Lady (La Nanna) was painted by Frederic Leighton in 1859.

Where can I see Portrait of a Roman Lady (La Nanna)?

Portrait of a Roman Lady (La Nanna) is held by Philadelphia Museum of Art.

What movement is Portrait of a Roman Lady (La Nanna)?

Portrait of a Roman Lady (La Nanna) is associated with Pre-Raphaelite.

Can I buy a print of Portrait of a Roman Lady (La Nanna)?

Museum-quality prints of Portrait of a Roman Lady (La Nanna) are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Portrait of a Roman Lady (La Nanna)

Frederic Leighton , 1859

Portrait of a Roman Lady (La Nanna) is an oil painting by the Pre-Raphaelite artist Frederic Leighton. It dates from 1859 and is held in the collection of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Frederic Leighton’s 1859 oil painting titled Portrait of a Roman Lady, also known as La Nanna, presents a half‑length figure of a young woman rendered in a restrained, academic style. The work is part of the collection of the Philadelphia Museum of Art and is often linked to the aesthetic concerns of the Pre‑Raphaelite movement.

Subject & Meaning

The sitter is identified as Anna Risi, a model who posed for several of Leighton’s works. She is shown standing before a plain wall, her gaze directed outward, suggesting a quiet confidence. The inclusion of a pearl necklace and the contrast of a white dress with a red corset hint at themes of modesty and sensuality within a classical framework.

Technique & Style

Leighton employs chiaroscuro to model the figure, allowing light to fall on the white dress and the pearls while the surrounding wall recedes into shadow. The careful rendering of fabric folds and the subtle decorative pattern on the wall demonstrate his meticulous draftsmanship and his interest in surface detail characteristic of the Pre‑Raphaelites.

History & Provenance

Completed in 1859, the portrait entered the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s holdings in the early twentieth century, though the exact acquisition date is not recorded in the available sources. Its presence in an American museum reflects the transatlantic appreciation for Leighton’s academic portraiture during that period.

Context

Leighton, a leading figure of the British Academy, often explored classical subjects and idealized beauty. Portrait of a Roman Lady aligns with his broader oeuvre that blends historical references with contemporary portraiture, situating the work within the Victorian fascination with antiquity and the emerging Pre‑Raphaelite emphasis on truth to nature.

Lucrezia Borgia; Portrait of a Roman woman in white tunic and red robe, Anselm Feuerbach

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Artist & collection

Artist

Frederic Leighton

Frederic Leighton, 1st Baron Leighton, known as Sir Frederic Leighton between 1878 and 1896, was a British Victorian painter, draughtsman, and sculptor.