Lady with Primroses

myminifactory

Just as the painted profile portrait evolved into a three-quarter view around 1470, Verrocchio continued to revolutionize the sculpted bust. His sitter holds a bouquet of flowers close to her heart in a very romantic pose; she is shown below the waist, including her two hands, inviting interaction with the viewer. This innovative technique was clearly not lost on Verrocchio's pupil, who would maximize its potential as well as its luminosity in his painted portrait. Indeed, the sitter of this bust has sometimes been identified as Ginevra dei Benci, the subject of a Leonardo portrait. However, without solid proof, it is generally accepted that she is Lucrezia Donati. Lucrezia Donati was one of Lorenzo the Magnificent's longest-term mistresses, perhaps. She is immortalized here by Verrocchio as Woman with a Bouquet. An absolutely extraordinary work, particularly because the Florentines admired her hands most. They have this jointless quality or one that transcends joints; Botticelli would later immortalize the same qualities in his painting. It should not be forgotten that Botticelli and Verrocchio were close friends. This is one of the most beautiful of the Florentine busts ever created.