Lady With An Ermine. Princess Czartoryski rescued it from the invading Russian army in 1830 then dispatched it to Dresden and afterwards to Czartoryski family in exile in Paris before returning it to Krakow in 1882. This work was created in 1483-1487 by Leonardo da Vinci Figure 1 a.
The painting was for his mother a keen collector and the foundress of the Czartoryski Museum. A portrait of Cecilia Gallerani who was the mistress of Ludovico Sforza Duke of Milan. Gallerani is widely recognised as the mistress of the Duke of Milan or Ludovico Sforza.
The Lady With an Ermine is a portrait of Cecilia Gallerani an alluring young woman from the Milanese court who was a favorite mistress of Ludovico Sforza the married Duke of Milan.
The duke who was da Vincis patron and champion for 18 years was nicknamed the white ermine. Oil on walnut panel Key Features The key features of the painting are. 1800 in Italy by Adam Jerzy the son of Princess Izabela Czartoryska and donated to the Museum in Puławy where it was exhibited in the Gothic House from 18091830. Leonardo said about the ermine.