Portrait of a Woman (Properzia de' Rossi ?)

bolognese school

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The woman portrayed has been identified as the Bolognese sculptress Properzia de’ Rossi (c. 1490-1530) on the basis of comparisons with the engraving published in the Lives by Vasari, who admired her greatly. However, the presence of the little book and the total lack of attributes connected with her artistic activity make the identification uncertain. The stylistic features of the panel, which can be dated generically to the 16th century, point to the Bolognese environment.