The First Wise Virgin
1474
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1474
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
This is a black-and-white drawing of a woman holding a lit candle in a tall holder. She’s dressed in a long, flowing robe with a belt tied around her waist. Her hair is loose and curly, and she wears a wreath on her head. The ground beneath her feet looks rough, with a few scattered objects, like a folded cloth. The woman’s calm face and the candle suggest she might be a symbol of readiness or watchfulness. This style of art comes from a time when artists started focusing on human emotions and realism. Next, look up Renaissance to see how this drawing fits into that artistic movement.
