Portrait of a Princess (Portrait of Ginevra d'Este)
Painting on wood panel • Pisanello (Antonio di Puccio Pisano)
Style & Movement
Early Renaissance / International Gothic style
Medium & Technique
Egg tempera on poplar wood panel, featuring fine line work, delicate stippling, and gold leaf highlights
Creation Period
circa 1435-1445
Dimensions & Format
Original is 43 cm x 30 cm (16.9 in x 11.8 in); Portrait format
Subject Description
A profile portrait of a young woman, identified as Ginevra d'Este, against a dark background adorned with butterflies and flowers (not fully visible in crop). She wears a high-collared dress with an intricate white embroidered cap or balzo worked with pearls and precious stones. Her hair is plucked back in the fashionable style of the mid-15th century.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Good (based on the original located in the Louvre); the image shown exhibits visible craquelure consistent with aged tempera on wood.
Estimated Market Value
Priceless / Not for sale (Institutional museum piece)
Auction Estimate
Inestimable (likely $100M+ if ever brought to market)
Provenance History
Historically part of the Este family collections in Ferrara; acquired by the Musee du Louvre, Paris, in 1893 from the collection of Felix Bamberg.
Art Historical Significance
One of the most important surviving 15th-century profile portraits. It represents the transition from the courtly International Gothic aesthetic to the more naturalistic observations of the Early Renaissance. Pisanello was famously the premier medalist and court painter of his time.
Notable Features
The distinct profile view mimics Roman coinage; the use of specific flora and fauna (like the Columbine and butterflies) often served as heraldic or symbolic identifiers for the Este family.
Condition Issues
Natural craquelure across the gesso ground; minor thinning of the tempera layers in the flesh tones; historical stabilization of the poplar support.
Conservation Recommendations
Climate-controlled environment (50% RH), UV-filtered lighting, and display in a protective vitrine to prevent panel warping or paint flaking.