The painting was bequeathed to The Metropolitan Museum of Art by Richard De Wolfe Brixey in 1943. It is currently on view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 602.
Portrait of a Young Woman is a portrait from the Renaissance era painted by the Florentine artist Lorenzo di Credi. In the picture, there is a young woman who is depicted above the waist against the background of a rather plain scene. She looks at the viewer in the three-quarter view, which makes her face and hands the main subjects of the painting. Her dark clothes contrast with her pale skin, and there is greenery around her, which makes the portrait look natural.* One of the characteristic traits of the portrait is the representation of the sitter.
While many of the early Florentine portraits show the sitters in strict profiles, Credi decided to depict his subject facing the viewer. There are her hands that make the sitter look more personal and psychologically expressive. Behind the woman, there is a juniper bush, and it can be symbolically connected with the identity of the sitter. On the back of the painting, there is an inscription that links the sitter to Ginevra d’Amerigo de’ Benci; however, this attribution is not entirely sure.
It shows the attention to details and observation of Credi as well as delicate facial expressions and composition. Moreover, this work illustrates the development of Renaissance portrait art in Florence at that time, when artists focused on exploring the appearance and character of the individual portrayed. At the same time, the picture has been compared to the portrait of Ginevra de' Benci by Leonardo da Vinci.
The painting evokes a deep sense of melancholy and quiet reverence. Her somber black dress, black veil, and the finger ring she gently cradles indicate she is a young widow. Her gaze is heavy, detached, and missing its companion. This creates a haunting tension between her pristine, youthful beauty and the heavy burden of early grief.
