Vittoria Colonna - a Poet, a Muse, a Renaissance Woman

Vittoria Colonna - a talented poet, an intellectual, an advisor to the Pope, a friend and muse to Michelangelo. A fascinating and intriguing woman.

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One of the most famous and influential writers and poets of the time – Pietro Bembo wrote in a letter to a friend that Colonna’s poetry was “truly fine and ingenious and serious, more than one would expect from a woman.”

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Her talent and the depth of her intellect managed to transcend the misogyny of her time.

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Bembo eventually became a close friend, valued her opinion greatly, and even included one of her poems in his book.

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The attribution of this Sebastiano del Piombo portrait to Vittoria is uncertain. But there is absolutely no doubt that Piero Della Francesca’s famous double portrait depicts Vittoria’s grandparents - Federico da Montefeltro and Battista Sforza. Their daughter, Agnese di Montefeltro, was Vittoria Colonna’s mother.

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The choice to present the couple in profile was mainly dictated by Federico losing an eye in a jousting tournament. Jousting is a dangerous activity, it turns out.

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(All references are from “Renaissance Woman - The Life of Vittoria Colonna” by Ramie Targoff. A beautifully written and incredibly engaging book, which I highly recommend.)

Sebastiano del Piombo, Vittoria Colonna, circa 1520 – 25

Piero della Francesca, Portraits of the Duke and Duchess of Urbino, Federico da Montefeltro and Battista Sforza, circa 1467 - 1472