Isabella Ruini in Venus and Cupid 1592 by Lavinia Fontana

In 1589, a Bolognese writer Ercole Marescotti wrote about a local illustrious young lady - Isabella Ruini Angelleli that she was “a spectacle of superhuman beauty” (spettacolo di sopra umana bellezza).

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There was no duke or duchess to hold the reins in 16th century Bologna, the rules of deportment in this vibrant city were instead set by the le damme della citta (ladies of the city). These fashionable, well-educated and influential women belonged to the oligarchy families governing Bologna collectively with the papal legate.

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Making an impression on foreign ambassadors and underscoring one’s status was thus vitally important. Here is where Lavinia Fontana’s particular skills at depicting expensive fabrics, jewels and other worldly possessions came in handy. Fontana was an immensely successful 16th century Bolognese painter, whose portraiture skills were in such high demand among the noblewomen of Bologna, that their competition drove her prices up to be on par with those of Anthony van Dyck.

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Fontana’s portrait of Isabella Ruini in Venus and Cupid (1592) is highly unusual as it depicts a lady of the highest rank as a nude Venus. The origin of this commission is unknown, but the likely beholder was Isabella’s husband. Isabella’s left hand, gently caressing Cupid’s cheek, is at once seductive and maternal. This play on ambiguity by way of hinting at the equivocal relationship of Venus and Cupid communicates Isabella’s youth, charm, and potential fecundity. Ultimately, however, Isabella disarms Cupid by taking hold of his arrow transforming herself from a seductive Venus into an empowered, chaste Diana, proudly flaunting her resplendent belt. The flap of the sheer, glistening fabric gently folded over the belt, alludes to breastfeeding, yet again treading a fine line between alluring and maternal.

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Being a mother of eleven children and having intimate interpersonal connections to her female nobility clientele provided Fontana more freedom to add complexity to gestures and themes in her portraits, that otherwise would have been considered risqué.

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(Portrait is located at the Musee des Beaux-Arts de Rouen)