Allegorical Figure Holding a Sphere
1564
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1564
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
This painting shows a woman holding a sphere, surrounded by other objects. She's an allegorical figure, which means she represents an idea. Scholars aren't sure what she represents, with ideas ranging from Victory to a force that generates celestial motion. The details in the painting are interesting, like the way the woman's clothes are flowing. The sphere she's holding is also a key part of the image, but its meaning is unclear. To learn more about this style of art, look up the technique of sfumato.
