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Portrait of a Lady
Oil on copper, 38.5 x 30.5 cm, by Jacob Ferdinand Voet (d. 1689) and attributed to Mario Nuzzi (d. 1673)
Location unknown
 

Believed to be from the Colonna family, this lady is depicted in a green dress with a white chemise, framed by a wreath of flowers. This small, intimate work stands as one of the few examples in Voet’s oeuvre where he incorporates a theme popularised by Flemish artists in the early 17th century: a flower garland surrounding a devotional image. To achieve greater detail in the floral elements, the task of painting the still life was entrusted to Nuzzi, a specialist in flower painting. Both Voet and Nuzzi worked for the prominent Colonna family. The garland is rich with symbolic meaning, often seen in still life works linked to religious subjects. In this case, the flowers symbolise the sitter’s youthful beauty, with particular focus on a cluster of lilies in the upper right corner, which represent her purity.