LEONARDO da Vinci: Portrait of Cecilia Gallerani (Lady with an Ermine)

Portrait of Cecilia Gallerani (Lady with an Ermine) Painted during the Italian Renaissance, Leonardo da Vinci created this iconic portrait around 1489-1491 while serving the Duke of Milan, whose mistress Cecilia was. The ermine—a symbol of purity and the Duke's emblem—becomes a clever visual pun, as "ermine" in Italian sounds like Cecilia's surname, transforming the animal into a witty representation of the sitter's identity. Leonardo's masterful use of light, the subject's engaging three-quarter pose, and the psychological depth he captured in her gaze exemplify why he remains one of history's greatest portraitists.