Ciao to all,
 
just a few addenda to what Regina Harrison wrote on Leonardo's "Woman with
Ermine".
 
This is a very actual argument here because this famous painting arrived in
Milan, for exhibition at the Art Academy, the last november 19 and went back
to the Museum of Cracovia, Poland, where it belongs, five days ago
 
Many art experts consider it as the Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece, even
superior to the famous "Gioconda", and there were literally thousands of
persons every day queing to see it.
 
Its dimensions are 55 x 44 centimetres.  It represents Cecilia Gallerani
(1473-1536) that was the mistress not of a simple nobleman, but of Ludovico
Sforza, named "il Moro", that was the Duke of Milan.  The King of Naples
conferred to him in 1488 the insignia of the "Order of the Ermine".  He was
very proud of it so he putted the ermine in Sforza's coat of arms.
 
All the studious agree that his presence in the painting refers to her
qualities of "temperate and virtuous lady" and she was famous for her
culture and intelligence.  Also, the necklace is made of black agata, that
was considered an ornament for ladies of extraordinary moral standards.
Don't forget that at those times it was considered quite normal for a
prince to have a mistress, and honourable for her to be so.
 
The interesting point is that many persons, Vets included, believe that
Leonardo used a ferret as a model, for two main reasons: 1- The ermine is
a very wild animal, and how could you ever convince him to pose ?  2- The
proportions are those of the ferret, the ermine is much shorter.
 
So Leonardo probably used a ferret making just some changes to his face to
have him looking as an ermine.
 
F  errets'
U  niversal
L  over
V  ia
I   nternet
O bviously
[Posted in FML issue 2529]