Da Vinci's Lady with an Ermine

Lady with an Ermine, 1489-90

Saw this mesmerizing painting at National Gallery's 'Painter of the Milan court' exhibition. The lady is identified as Cecilia Gallerani, the wife of the duke of Milan, who commissioned the painting. In the arms of Cecilia is a small white-coated Stoat known as an ermine and it steeped with multifarious meanings. The ermine traditionally symbolizes purity because of the belief that the ermine would rather face capture by hunters than take refuge in a dirty lair in order not to stain its purity. It could also refer to the Duke's position in the Order of the Ermine. The animal could also be a ferret, indicative of Gallerani's prenancy at the time. Regardless of the symbolism, the addition of the ermine in this composition adds an intriguing dimension to an already alluring piece.