Portrait of the Actress Orsola Cecchini (c. 1580 - after 1633) as Venus

Additional texteExhibition text: The portrayal of the celebrated Italian actress Orsola Cecchini (c. 1580 – 1633) in the guise of Venus, the Roman goddess of love, exemplifies the Baroque penchant for allegorical portraiture. Dressed in a simple white tunic, she is depicted in a relaxed pose, accompanied by the winged Cupid. The luminous flesh tones and vibrant painterly brushwork reveal the influence of Peter Paul Rubens, whose portraits the Lombard painter studied in Genoa.