Why it matters
Leonardo's portrait of the young Florentine Ginevra de' Benci is the only painting by him on public view in the Americas. The juniper bush behind her is a pun on her name (ginepro) and a symbol of virtue, and the back of the panel carries the motto 'Beauty adorns virtue'.
Did you know?
- It was painted in Florence between 1474 and 1478, probably for her engagement.
- The National Gallery of Art bought it in 1967 from the Prince of Liechtenstein for a record price.
- The emblem on the back is linked to the Venetian ambassador Bernardo Bembo, her platonic admirer.
Based on the Wikipedia article Ginevra de' Benci (CC BY-SA 4.0).
