Who painted Portrait of a Woman, Possibly a Novice of San Secondo?

Portrait of a Woman, Possibly a Novice of San Secondo was painted by Jacometto Veneziano in 1490-01-01.

Where can I see Portrait of a Woman, Possibly a Novice of San Secondo?

Portrait of a Woman, Possibly a Novice of San Secondo is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is Portrait of a Woman, Possibly a Novice of San Secondo?

Portrait of a Woman, Possibly a Novice of San Secondo is associated with Venetian Renaissance.

Can I buy a print of Portrait of a Woman, Possibly a Novice of San Secondo?

Museum-quality prints of Portrait of a Woman, Possibly a Novice of San Secondo are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Portrait of a Woman, Possibly a Novice of San Secondo

Jacometto Veneziano , 1496

Portrait of a Woman, Possibly a Novice of San Secondo is an unspecified painting by the Venetian Renaissance artist Jacometto Veneziano. It dates from 1496 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The sitter is identified as a young woman wearing a black veil and a white wimple, attire associated with a novice’s habit in the Franciscan Observant tradition linked to San Secondo in central Italy. Her clasped hands and downcast gaze suggest humility and devotion, while the restrained palette and sharply delineated features emphasize spiritual introspection over worldly status. The portrait’s inscriptions, including the name “SANSECONDO” and the date 1490, reinforce the identification with the Franciscan novice of San Secondo, aligning the image with contemporary ideals of female religious piety and the Observant reform movement.

History & Provenance

Portrait of a Woman, Possibly a Novice of San Secondo is held by the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is catalogued under accession number 1976.

The portrait is dated to 1490 based on technical and stylistic analysis of the work by Jacometto Veneziano.

It entered the Cleveland Museum of Art in 1976 as part of the Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Collection, accessioned as 1976.9. The painting’s early Italian provenance and subsequent history remain undocumented before its twentieth-century acquisition by Eugene Thaw, whose collection was later donated to the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Portrait of a Woman, Possibly a Novice of San Secondo is held by the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is catalogued under accession number 1976.9. The painting was previously owned by the dealer Eugene Thaw before entering the museum's collection. It was made in Italy and depicts a portrait subject consistent with Jacometto Veneziano's late-fifteenth-century practice. No exhibition history beyond its current museum placement is documented in the available sources.

Overview

This painting, titled Portrait of a Woman, Possibly a Novice of San Secondo, was created by Jacometto Veneziano in 1496. It is currently housed at The Cleveland Museum of Art. The work depicts a woman whose identity remains uncertain, though her attire suggests a possible connection to a religious order, presenting a direct and contemplative presence to the viewer.

Technique & Style

Veneziano employed a meticulous approach to rendering the woman's form and garments. He paid close attention to the delicate folds of her clothing, using subtle shading to convey the fabric's drape and texture. The stark black background serves to isolate the figure, enhancing her presence.

The artist utilized strong contrasts between light and shadow, a technique known as chiaroscuro, to give her face a distinct three-dimensional quality.