A lady with two faces

摘要

Consider the ermine: a stoat in winter fur. Stoats are small and fierce and quick and feral; they kill by biting the necks of their prey; they are said to mesmerise their larger victims with a snake-like dance. And now look at Leonardo da Vinci's ermine, resting quietly, although still very much alert, in the loose grip of his mistress. His left paw is upraised in a heraldic gesture. He has intelligent eyes, his mouth is closed over sharp teeth, his fur is soft and creamy, and his owner's long fingers rest gently on him. This is a beautiful, sleek creature, a beloved pet.The lady is Cecilia Gallerani, aged about 16 when her portrait was painted, c.1490, and at that time the favourite mistress of Lodovico Sforza, the immensely powerful duke of Milan. In the year after she was painted, Cecilia gave birth to Lodovico's son, and Lodovico married Beatrice d'Este, who soon ensured her rival was dismissed. Records suggest that when she left the Sforza castle, Cecilia took the painting with her."Lady with an Ermine" lives in Krakow these days, but she is about to be displayed in Britain for the first time. The National Gallery in London is bringing together seven of Leonardo's paintings - half of his surviving works of paint on wood - and more than 50 drawings, from the period when he was the court painter in Milan. There will be other famous paintings in the exhibition, but it is Cecilia who will be the star. We can reasonably assume that the portrait was commissioned by Leonardo's patron, the enamoured duke. Cecilia was apparently as gifted as she was lovely - a poet, linguist and musician. Why then did Leonardo pair her with an animal that few would call endearing? Why draw attention to the stoat-like shape of Cecilia's face: was it a waspish tease, a moral rebuke, a subtle act of malice?