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Indepth Arts News:
"Raphael : The Woman with the Veil"
2010-03-27 until 2010-06-06
Milwaukee Art Museum
Milwaukee, WI,
USA
One of the most celebrated paintings of the Italian Renaissance, Raphael: The Woman with the Veil (La Donna Velata), c.1516, will be on view at the Milwaukee Art Museum from March 27 through June 6, 2010. Rarely lent from the Pitti Palace in Florence, this irresistibly beautiful portrait was once considered the most famous painting in the world. Completed circa 1516 – four years before Raphael died at age 37 – the painting has had a profound influence on artists and writers both of his day and since. Not only is it beautifully painted, but a myth of intrigue envelops the work: there is a long-held belief that the sitter was Raphael's lover and muse.
Responding to Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa, Raphael developed in this portrait his own idea of female beauty and deportment. The sitter’s veil indicates that she is married, while the sleeve conveys both opulence and, in abstract terms, the sitter’s hidden but complex psychology. Art historians have variously identified this beautiful woman as a patron’s bride and as the artist’s mistress, and she appears as a model in many of Raphael's most important works.
"This is a major highlight in the Museum’s more than 120-year history," stated Dan Keegan, Director, Milwaukee Art Museum. "It is a coup for our institution and an incredible chance for the public, students and scholars to experience firsthand an extraordinary masterpiece that captures the ideals of the Renaissance."
Laurie Winters, Director of Exhibitions, Milwaukee Art Museum, noted: "We understand that The Woman with the Veil will not leave Florence again for many years because of its artistic and cultural significance. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see one of the greatest paintings of the Italian Renaissance outside of Italy."
Daniele D. Bodini, Chairman of the Foundation for Italian Art & Culture (FIAC), stated "The Foundation is pleased and honored to present The Woman with the Veil at the Milwaukee Art Museum as part of its ongoing mission to promote outstanding Italian works of art throughout the United States."
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