Bianca Capello De'Medici (possibly) 

Alessandro Allori likely painted this portrait of a noblewoman, possibly Bianca Capello de' Medici, sometime in the late sixteenth century. Here, the sitter’s sumptuously embroidered dress, jewelry, and carefully arranged hairstyle are all visual markers of her elite social status in Florence at this time. Consider the institutional forces that might have prompted the creation of an image like this. The Medici family, as patrons, wielded considerable power over artists in the city. This portrait may well have been commissioned as part of a broader effort to consolidate and legitimize their rule, using images of wealth and status to convey power. We can study this painting today by looking at sources on the Medici court, fashion and jewelry of the period, and Allori’s other artworks. Considering these factors allows us to see the portrait not just as an individual likeness, but as a product of a specific cultural and institutional environment.