Unknown artist, Britain

Portrait of a Lady

1576

Image released under Creative Commons CC-BY-NC-ND (3.0 Unported)

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Not on display
Artist
Unknown artist, Britain
Medium
Oil paint on wood
Dimensions
Support: 743 x 464 mm
Collection
Tate
Acquisition
Presented by Mrs Willingham-Rawnsley 1935
Reference
N04811

Display caption

The identity of the sitter is not known, although her many rings, her rich necklace and the costly gloves in her left hand show that she is of high rank. The artist's name is also unknown, although the initials 'FD', top right, may provide a clue. An x-ray study has shown that the artist made changes to the lady's dress and hat: in fact two different styles of cap lie beneath the present one. Perhaps a bereavement forced the lady to adopt mourning clothes during the course of the commission. The Latin inscription, possibly later in date, means 'A good character is a woman's fairest ornament'. The flowers in her right hand, held beneath her heart, may symbolise the transience of life.

Gallery label, August 2004

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Features

Unknown artist, Britain, ‘Portrait of a Lady’ 1576

Portrait of a Lady 1567: By British School, 16th Century

Rica Jones and Joyce H. Townsend

Read technical information about this painting resulting from examination and scientific analysis by conservators and conservation scientists at Tate

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