Portrait of a Noblewoman with her Son

The slightly elongated features of the mother and son, along with the sharp contours and icy colors, identify this portrait as being typical of Mannerism, a style known for its elegance and artifice. A favorite artist of the Medici court in late sixteenth-century Florence, Allori idealized his fashionable sitters and paid great attention to the details of their dress. The young mother has a static, almost frozen demeanor that highlights her elevated social status. Even her little son appears aloof with his calm expression and formalized gesture.