The white animal cradled in this young woman's arms isn't just a pet. It's a clue Leonardo left about exactly who she was and who she was connected to.
What you're looking at
Leonardo da Vinci painted this portrait around 1489-91, showing a young woman turned gracefully to one side, holding a sleek white ermine against her chest, her gaze directed off to the side rather than at the viewer. The pose and the animal's alert, twisting posture give the whole composition a sense of quiet, alert movement.
A mistress, a duke, and his personal symbol
The sitter has been identified as Cecilia Gallerani, who was the mistress of Ludovico Sforza, the Duke of Milan, at the time this portrait was painted. The ermine itself carried a double meaning: it was a traditional symbol of purity, and it also happened to be the duke's own personal emblem, making the animal in Cecilia's arms a subtle, coded reference to her relationship with him.
Leonardo's ability to capture the ermine's alert, twisting energy alongside Cecilia's own graceful turn is part of why this portrait is considered one of the most dynamic and accomplished of its era. It hangs today at the Princes Czartoryski Museum, part of the National Museum in Kraków.
One detail to look for
Look at how Cecilia's hand curls around the ermine's body, and how the animal's own posture mirrors the twist of her shoulders. Leonardo builds the whole composition around that shared, coiled sense of motion.
See it at its real size
Our canvas print is labeled against the true size of the original. Shop the canvas print.