https://venice.dahvc.org/fall-2020/files/original/Dana_s_Collection/Portrait_of_a_Lady_[Veronica_Franco_]/VeronicaFranco.jpg 9a288f2ac35f5e15f8133a3c88a1935d Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Dana's Collection Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Portrait of a Lady (Veronica Franco?) Subject The topic of the resource Portrait of a woman believed to be Veronica Franco Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Jacopo Tintoretto Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <ul> <li>Catalogue of All the Principal and Most Honored Courtesans of Venice. Venice, 1570. </li> <li>King, Margaret. Women of the Renaissance. Chicago: University of Chicago, 1991.</li> <li>Smarr, Janet Levarie. Joining the Conversation: Dialogues by Renaissance Women. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2005. </li> </ul> Image Source: https://dornsife.usc.edu/veronica-franco/portraits-of-franco/ Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource ca. 1575 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Dana Hogan Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Public Domain Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Oil on canvas, 87.0 x 78.7 cm Type The nature or genre of the resource Painting Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Worcester Art Museum, Worcester, MA, USA https://worcester.emuseum.com/objects/20316/portrait-of-a-lady Description An account of the resource Unlike the supposed portrait of fellow poet-courtesan <a href="https://venice.dahvc.org/fall-2020/items/show/28%20">Tullia d’Aragona</a>, 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.