Bust of a Young Woman
Medium
Metalpoint, highlighted with white gouache, on blue-gray prepared paper
Dimensions
6 7/16 x 5 1/4in. (16.4 x 13.3cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Walter C. Baker, 1971
Accession Number
1972.118.268
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the late 15th century, Florentine artist Piero di Cosimo crafted this delicate *Bust of a Young* around 1495, a testament to the Renaissance fascination with naturalistic portraiture. Piero, known for his quirky mythological paintings and innovative compositions, here captures the serene gaze and soft features of his subject in an intimate scale—measuring just 6 7/16 x 5 1/4 inches. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art Drawings and Prints department, this work exemplifies the era's shift toward individualized likenesses, blending ideal beauty with subtle realism. The drawing's medium—m...