I don't think that ermine is a pet, or alive. I think it's one of those fur pieces that included the head. As recently in the 1960s my grandmothers had scary things like that, which they wore to church.
I really enjoy all the detail in this painting. The accessory on her parted hair with the dangling part almost looks like a mirror to me. Unfortunately with my eyesight I can’t enlarge it enough. I like your quote of what she might have been thinking. As always I’m so glad I happened upon you and became a subscriber.
Really glad to know you enjoyed the work, Monica. And thanks so much for your kind words too - they are much appreciated. I’m grateful for your support.
What a beautiful painting; I imagined a woman of her caliber today being on the cover of Fortune 500's "Top 500" something. I also imagined her, upon the completion of the painting, saying to Parmigianino, "Well, that was fun" and going back under the radar for time immemorial. Her pet puts her in the "tomboy" category for me, as I was one, though I didn't have a pet ermine. There's an elegance that many tomboys grow into in their adult life; she strikes me as understatedly elegant, too. Thanks, as always, for introducing me to so much great art!
An impressive work, for sure. Is it just my failing eyesight, or are her right shoulder and arm unnaturally elongated? If so, I believe one could make the case for her being Ingres's grandmother.
That’s an interesting observation. In a couple of other Parmigianino works, there is a similar kind of elongation too (in fact one of them is even called “Madonna with the Long neck”).
Checked it out—she has a long neck indeed. And a long baby to go with it. Many thanks, by the way, for introducing me to this painter. I’m enjoying his work very much. (And I have to confess, when I read the title, “Madonna With the Long Neck,” I had a brief vision of the blessed Virgin chugging a bottle of Budweiser!)
Ingres’s depiction of the enthroned Napoleon and also his Grand Odalisque each have right arms that appear to be too long. The odalisque, additionally, has an elongated spine. My understanding is that Ingres thought anatomical accuracy was secondary to more abstract effects.
I realize that I have seen this painting before in an episode of Gilmore Girls--I think its called The Festival of Living Art--where the townspeople have to put on a Festival of Living Art (tableaux vivant of famous paintings) . As I recall, they feature The Last Supper by da Vinci and Dance at Bougival by Renoir as well as this one (which they call Portrait of a Young Girl named Antea)
I don't think that ermine is a pet, or alive. I think it's one of those fur pieces that included the head. As recently in the 1960s my grandmothers had scary things like that, which they wore to church.
I really enjoy all the detail in this painting. The accessory on her parted hair with the dangling part almost looks like a mirror to me. Unfortunately with my eyesight I can’t enlarge it enough. I like your quote of what she might have been thinking. As always I’m so glad I happened upon you and became a subscriber.
Really glad to know you enjoyed the work, Monica. And thanks so much for your kind words too - they are much appreciated. I’m grateful for your support.
What a beautiful painting; I imagined a woman of her caliber today being on the cover of Fortune 500's "Top 500" something. I also imagined her, upon the completion of the painting, saying to Parmigianino, "Well, that was fun" and going back under the radar for time immemorial. Her pet puts her in the "tomboy" category for me, as I was one, though I didn't have a pet ermine. There's an elegance that many tomboys grow into in their adult life; she strikes me as understatedly elegant, too. Thanks, as always, for introducing me to so much great art!
I like the way you imagine her personality too. That understated elegance is a really nice way of describing her.
An impressive work, for sure. Is it just my failing eyesight, or are her right shoulder and arm unnaturally elongated? If so, I believe one could make the case for her being Ingres's grandmother.
That’s an interesting observation. In a couple of other Parmigianino works, there is a similar kind of elongation too (in fact one of them is even called “Madonna with the Long neck”).
Checked it out—she has a long neck indeed. And a long baby to go with it. Many thanks, by the way, for introducing me to this painter. I’m enjoying his work very much. (And I have to confess, when I read the title, “Madonna With the Long Neck,” I had a brief vision of the blessed Virgin chugging a bottle of Budweiser!)
Why Ingres? Can you expantiate further? Thks!
Ingres’s depiction of the enthroned Napoleon and also his Grand Odalisque each have right arms that appear to be too long. The odalisque, additionally, has an elongated spine. My understanding is that Ingres thought anatomical accuracy was secondary to more abstract effects.
Thanks for taking the time to share!
I realize that I have seen this painting before in an episode of Gilmore Girls--I think its called The Festival of Living Art--where the townspeople have to put on a Festival of Living Art (tableaux vivant of famous paintings) . As I recall, they feature The Last Supper by da Vinci and Dance at Bougival by Renoir as well as this one (which they call Portrait of a Young Girl named Antea)
Interesting! I’ve never heard of Gilmore Girls, but sounds like they had a good taste in art if they also featured work by Leonardo and Renoir too.
Whoever she is, Antea has a very confident, powerful appearance. It’s a beautiful painting!
LOL, that interior monologue at the end got me :)
Maybe Parmigianino was paid for this work by Antea's father but she was also his secret lover. I hope so..