Portrait of a Lady - Analysis - Correggio (Antonio Allegri)

Correggio’s master work Portrait of a Lady beckons with a silver bowl. This meaningful detail might get missed at first. That’s because this classic portrait features a lovely lady. Her striking expression seems so natural and self-possessed. The painter imbues her face with strength of expression. Antonio Allegri Correggio also fills this painting with prescient details. Her silver bowl, held out to us, presents the most obvious clue. It’s engraved with a phrase from Homer’s Odyssey. This bit refers to demi-goddess Helen. She concocts a potion to help people escape their earthbound troubles. With art, music, and poetry Helen lifts them out of their everyday lives. Fine arts transport them into joyful wonder and awe. This Homeric passage is only one of many telling features in Portrait of a Lady. Symbols abound. The laurel tree signifies Apollo, god of song. While the ivy climbing behind our Lady represents immortality. These living plants shade her in shadow, as if to tell us she will somehow sing forever. It may be through this painting. Correggio also wants us to know more about this lady. Learn about this and more masterpieces with a click through to LadyKflo’s site. Listen to the LadyKflo podcast wherever you get your podcasts. Checkout her socials too: @ladykflo