Portrait of a Lady, probably Camilla Martelli De’Medici 

Alessandro Allori likely painted this portrait of Camilla Martelli, the second wife of Cosimo de' Medici, in Florence in the late 16th century. The portrait provides a glimpse into the strict social hierarchies of Renaissance Italy, where clothing and adornment visually communicated one's status. Here, Camilla's elaborate gown, jewelry, and hairstyle signal her noble status following her marriage into the Medici family, although she was notably excluded from the Medici family portraits displayed for the public in the Uffizi Gallery. The very act of commissioning and displaying portraits was an important tool for solidifying power and projecting a carefully constructed image of wealth, taste, and refinement. As historians, we use visual analysis and historical research, including archival documents, to understand the complex relationship between art, power, and social life. The interpretation of art is always contingent on its social and institutional context.