Portrait of a Woman, Possibly a Nun of San Secondo - Jacometto Veneziano

This exquisite small-scale portrait, attributed to the Venetian master Jacometto Veneziano and dated to approximately 1485–95, exemplifies the refined elegance of late fifteenth-century Italian portraiture. Painted with extraordinary delicacy, the work depicts a woman believed to be a nun of San Secondo, her serene expression and restrained attire conveying both spiritual devotion and quiet inner strength.

Jacometto was celebrated in his own time for his ability to capture intimate likeness with almost miniaturist precision, and this panel is among his most accomplished surviving works. The sitter's gaze, calm yet penetrating, draws the viewer into a moment of contemplative stillness that transcends its small format. On the verso, a grisaille scene demonstrates the artist's versatility, employing monochromatic tonal painting with the same meticulous hand evident on the front.

Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, this double-sided panel is a landmark of Venetian Renaissance portraiture, offering a rare and intimate window into the devotional and artistic culture of late Quattrocento Venice. A truly distinguished addition to any refined interior.