Portrait of a Young Woman in Red

What you see

Seen face-on, the young woman fills nearly the whole panel. A wreath of small gold leaves circles her black curls, which frame an oval face with heavy brows and enormous eyes. Two small earrings gleam at either side, and a beaded necklace lies at her throat. She wears a reddish tunic with a black stripe running down the left.

The palette is warm: ochre, rust red and brown. The surface is crazed, and fine vertical cracks in the wood run across the face and chest. The lower part is badly worn, with reddish stains and patches of bare wood. Look closely at the wreath, built from tiny diamonds of gold, and at the catchlights in her eyes.