Portrait of a Young Lady, “Princess of Urbino”

This bust is supposed to have come from the ducal palace at Urbino, where the same type of stone was used for the interior decoration. Up to the present time it has been subject to varying assessments of its worth, and even doubts concerning its authenticity. The proud carriage of the head and the steady gaze of the narrowed eyes are superb expressions of the character of a strong-willed young woman. The costly apparel, her elaborate hairstyle, and indeed her heavy eyelids all support hypotheses that see her as a member of the family of Federigo da Montefeltro, Duke of Urbino. In its combination of softly modelled form and precisely drawn detail, the bust evinces a stylistic affinity with the bronze sculptures of Andrea del Verrocchio.