Antonello da Messina’s circa 1470 panel is a jewel of the Italian Quattrocento. Oil technique learned in the North gives the young sitter lifelike skin, curling hair, and a direct, enigmatic gaze.
Antonello da Messina (ca. 1430–1479) was a Sicilian painter who brought Flemish oil technique to Italy, revolutionizing Renaissance portraiture with startling naturalism.
