Portrait of a Lady (Veronica Franco?)
Dublin Core
Title
Portrait of a Lady (Veronica Franco?)
Subject
Portrait of a woman believed to be Veronica Franco
Description
Unlike the supposed portrait of fellow poet-courtesan Tullia d’Aragona, Franco’s eyes are averted from the viewer, so she poses no direct challenge to her audience. Her face recedes into shadow, partially hidden from the viewer, leaving her expression unreadable. The circles under her eyes give the impression of weariness and worldly knowledge, contrasting with the youthful glow in her pink cheeks and her vibrant red hair. Her left hand, asymmetrically-hung cloak, and diagonal line of jewels guide the viewer to a conspicuous expanse of her breast, a hint of nipple striking between her creamy skin and bright white chemise. Either as a visual pun or as an attempt to champion her character, the artist has depicted Franco wearing a strand of pearls, symbolic of chastity and purity.
Like d'Aragona, Franco used her poems to defend her special honor above other courtesans by showcasing her intellect and network of powerful connections [1]. In her poetry, she responds to men who attack her in their verses as a prostitute, explicitly stating her worthy character and inviting admiration [2]. This portrait shows a woman who is likewise inviting admiration, acknowledging her profession but not defined by it. Tintoretto, however, has omitted attributes such as quills, letters, and books that would portray her in the intellectual persona she worked to craft for herself.
[1] Janet Levarie Smarr, Joining the Conversation: Dialogues by Renaissance Women (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2005), 24.
[2] Margaret King, Women of the Renaissance (Chicago: University of Chicago, 1991), 216.
Like d'Aragona, Franco used her poems to defend her special honor above other courtesans by showcasing her intellect and network of powerful connections [1]. In her poetry, she responds to men who attack her in their verses as a prostitute, explicitly stating her worthy character and inviting admiration [2]. This portrait shows a woman who is likewise inviting admiration, acknowledging her profession but not defined by it. Tintoretto, however, has omitted attributes such as quills, letters, and books that would portray her in the intellectual persona she worked to craft for herself.
[1] Janet Levarie Smarr, Joining the Conversation: Dialogues by Renaissance Women (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2005), 24.
[2] Margaret King, Women of the Renaissance (Chicago: University of Chicago, 1991), 216.
Creator
Jacopo Tintoretto
Source
- Catalogue of All the Principal and Most Honored Courtesans of Venice. Venice, 1570.
- King, Margaret. Women of the Renaissance. Chicago: University of Chicago, 1991.
- Smarr, Janet Levarie. Joining the Conversation: Dialogues by Renaissance Women. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2005.
Image Source: https://dornsife.usc.edu/veronica-franco/portraits-of-franco/
Date
ca. 1575
Contributor
Dana Hogan
Rights
Public Domain
Format
Oil on canvas, 87.0 x 78.7 cm
Type
Painting
Coverage
Worcester Art Museum, Worcester, MA, USA https://worcester.emuseum.com/objects/20316/portrait-of-a-lady
Collection
Citation
Jacopo Tintoretto, “Portrait of a Lady (Veronica Franco?),” ARTHIST 89S - Visual Culture of Venice - Fall 2020, accessed October 22, 2026, https://venice.dahvc.org/fall-2020/items/show/27.