Baldung Grien, Hans

Portrait of a Lady

1530; Oil on wood panel, 69.2 x 52.5 cm; Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, Madrid

Baldung Grien was a disciple of Dürer in his Nüremberg studio, but felt little attraction for the principles of proportion, perspective and harmony advocated by his master. More attention being paid to the character of the subjects of the portraits, in this work a strong influence from Lucas Cranach is perceptible, as we can see in the Judith painted around the same time by the master of Kronach. Comparing both works we can observe the similarities in the range of colours, the unreal forms and, even the jewellery used.

The subject of the portrait has not been identified although it was believed for a long time to be the wedding portrait of a princess of Baden-Durlach. Perhaps it is not a specific person, but rather an idealized figure of a woman, which corresponds to an archtype of beauty. This idea is corroborated by the similarity with the model that Baldung painted in the Madonna and the Grapes.