Portrait of the Duchess of Urbino, Battista Sforza
Piero della Francesca captured Battista Sforza in this striking profile, a pose borrowed from ancient Roman coins to project imperial authority and virtue. Notice her incredibly high, pale forehead? That wasn't natural—Renaissance fashion demanded plucking the hairline back for an elegant, elongated look. Painted posthumously after her tragic early death at just 26, this panel forms half of a famous diptych alongside her husband, Federico da Montefeltro, forever linking the couple against a serene, rolling landscape.
- Technique
- Tempera on wood panel
- Dimensions
- 47 cm × 33 cm
Location: Uffizi Gallery, Florence
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