Of the three portraits, the first and most significant was the Lady with a Unicorn. In it the woman holds a diminutive unicorn perched directly on her lap. It was the ‘very first’ live person Raphael depicted and furthermore, the ‘most personal of the Florence portraits’.
Raphael painted the face and figure following the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci, the lady portrayed is decidedly Florentine given the style of her clothes, and of high lineage based on the jewelry she sports.
The original rendition (1506) is thought to have been altered at least four times. The current version is the result of restorations made in 1936, 1959 and 1960.
Lady with a Unicorn
