1550
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Ceres is a 1550 by Lelio Orsi, a Renaissance work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
This painting shows a woman in a flowing robe, standing with her arms outstretched. She's holding something in her hands, but it's not clear what it is. The background is plain, with no other people or objects visible. The woman's face is turned upwards, as if she's looking at something above her. Her hair is tied back, and she has a laurel wreath on her head. The folds of her robe are intricately detailed, with deep shadows that give the painting a sense of depth. The painting is an allegory, which means it represents an abstract idea or concept. In this case, the woman is likely meant to represent the Roman goddess Ceres, who was associated with agriculture and fertility. To learn more about this style of painting, check out the Renaissance movement.
Lelio Orsi (1508/1511 – 1587), also known as Lelio da Novellara, was a Mannerist painter and architect of the Reggio Emilia school in northern Italy.
See the richer artist page
