Secrets of Da Vinci’s Lady with an Ermine Finally Revealed

ArtNews Art News ^ | September 30, 2014 | Lorena Muñoz-Alonso

[mbarker12474]

French scientist Pascal Cotte has astounded art historians with a major discovery about Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece Lady With an Ermine (1489-90), the BBC reports. Until now, it had been assumed that da Vinci’s composition had always included the white ermine, but Cotte’s three year-long investigation has revealed that the Italian artist actually painted the work not in one, but in three clearly differentiated stages.

His first version was ... [snip]

[FateAmenableToChange]

The article tells the story. The white Ermine was the nickname of her lover who was married. Apparently he was the one who commissioned the painting and was not happy with the grey Ermine. My curiosity focused on her hair. Was that her hair under her chin or was it some kind of veil tied there? It just looks weird. I also wonder why he added the blue drape over her shoulder. Oh, and how did the ladies and gentlemen keep their fingernails that trimmed? They didn’t have finger clips. :o)

She's also slightly pregnant, a reference to the fact that she might have been carrying his child. The ermine is presented in a position to do naughty things that grownups do to each other, at least if they are of the same species. The painting is in Krakow, permanently housed at Wawel Castle, and is worth the price of admission.

[Elvina]

I looked up some more info, and the ermine is indeed accepted as a symbol of purity: “The ermine, a stoat in its winter coat, was a traditional symbol of purity because it was believed an ermine would face death rather than soil its white coat.” I wonder what the source is of the soap opera from the article and why they wouldn’t mention the traditional explanation.

[Elvina]

Here's more info on the ermine tradition: "Because of its pure white fur the ermine became a symbol of moral purity and innocence. Even more marvelous, the medieval bestiary tells us, is that the ermine, with its beautiful white coat, would rather die before soiling its fur. According to Aelian, the ermine, falling into a mud puddle, would immediately die of sorrow. " Source: www.traditioninaction.org

[Bob434]

wow interesting stuff- thanks for posting that-

[Bob434]

the blue was added because it compliments the skin color- and is used as a contrast “warm skin/Cool drape”- contrast is a major tool for art- warm/cool/ round/square rough/soft straight/curved light/dark, and so on and so forth

also- the ermine were notorious fingernail nibblers- hence the short fingernails- I kid

[SunkenCiv]

This topic was posted 1/24/2017, thanks mbarker12474.

Edited from the three Davinkey keywords, sorted:

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