Portrait of a Lady as Lucretia, c. 1533
oil on canvas
The Trustees of the National Gallery, London, bought with contributions from the Benson Family and the NACF
Portrait of a Lady as Lucretia, c. 1533
oil on canvas
The Trustees of the National Gallery, London, bought with contributions from the Benson Family and the NACF
The magnificently dressed and bejewelled woman gestures toward a drawing of the ancient Roman heroine Lucretia, who preferred death to dishonoring her husband. Typical of Lotto is the way the lady engages the viewer with her frank, outward gaze. Her hair tied up under her cap indicates that she is a married woman, perhaps Lucrezia Valier, who wedded a member of the noble Pesaro family in 1533. Lotto's subtle orchestration of color and dramatic composition make this his most ambitious female portrait.