In the context of this artwork, explain the Description of the Painting.
The portrait shows a young dark-haired woman wearing a fur-trimmed red cloak. She holds the cloak slightly open, exposing her right breast. A thin white veil is wrapped over the woman's hair and falls over her right shoulder. Against the dark background of the portrait are branches of laurel leaves, framing the woman.
The subject of the painting looks away from the artist. Her calm, yet intense gaze falls somewhere beyond the viewer, suggesting her interest lies elsewhere. Her hair is held back modestly, yet a single strand falls loose along her face, creating a sense of eroticism in the painting. The subject's enigmatic nature draws the viewer in, creating an uncertain view of her intentions and her identity.
An inscription on the reverse, accepted as early 16th-century, identifies Giorgione as the painter and provides the date, making this the only work by the artist bearing a reliable date. Translated from Italian, it reads: “[…] on 1 June 1506, this was made by the hand of the master Giorgio da Castelfranco, the colleague of master Vincenzo Catena, at the instigation of Mr. Giacomo.”The painting is an oil on canvas over spruce wood. Several alterations have been made to the painting's shape over the years. It was first trimmed into an oval shape, then later returned to its original rectangular shape. The trimming of this portrait creates a greater sense of immediacy than was originally depicted by the artist.
laurel Italian oil on canvas Giorgione