Artwork
Head of a Woman
Head of a Woman is an oil painting. It dates from 1515 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:on reverse:~Dianora B[ella?]~
About this work
The artist's use of chiaroscuro creates a sense of depth and volume in the subject, drawing the viewer's eye to the woman's face.
This painting depicts the head and shoulders of a woman, shown in a three-quarter view. Her dark hair is pulled back, and she wears a red dress with white shoulder pads and a green undergarment. The background is a deep, rich black.
The woman's gaze is directed slightly to her right, and her expression is neutral. Her features are rendered in fine detail, with a focus on the contours of her face and the folds of her clothing.
The artist's use of chiaroscuro creates a sense of depth and volume in the subject, drawing the viewer's eye to the woman's face. Look up Umbrian 16th Century for more.
Subject & Meaning
The work depicts the bust of a woman seen in three-quarter view, her gaze directed slightly to the left. The neutral background and restrained palette focus attention on her facial features and attire, which include a dark headdress framing the face and a simple dress visible at the neckline. The restrained modeling and delicate handling of light suggest a portrait intended to convey the sitter's dignified presence rather than narrative or allegorical meaning.
In the absence of attributes such as jewelry or symbolic objects, the painting emphasizes personal identity within the conventions of early sixteenth-century Umbrian portraiture.
Technique & Style
The painting is executed in oil on a poplar panel, measuring 39.5 by 28.5 cm. The use of oil on a wood support is characteristic of early sixteenth-century Italian panel painting practice. The work's small scale and portrait genre suggest an intimate, focused presentation of the female subject.
History & Provenance
Attributed to an Umbrian artist of the 16th century, this oil on poplar panel was created around 1515. Its early history includes a period in a private English collection before it appeared at the Van Diemen Galleries in Berlin by June 1929, where it underwent restoration. In 1930 the gallery sold the portrait to William R. Timken of New York.
Following Timken's death in 1949, ownership passed to his widow, Lillian Guyer Timken, who on her death in 1959 bequeathed the painting to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., where it entered the collection in 1960 under accession number 1960.6.11.
Overview
"Head of a Woman" is an oil painting executed on a poplar panel. It presents the bust of a woman in a three-quarter pose, her form emerging from a deep, rich black background. The artwork emphasizes her facial features and the details of her attire, capturing a moment of quiet contemplation.
Artist & collection
