Italy / c. 1636
Allegorical Figure
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Allegorical Figure as painting (Italy · c. 1636).
The preparatory drawing for this painting is also in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art (1953.626).
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this painting as oil on canvas and credits Bernardo Strozzi (Italian, 1581?-1644).
The museum's collection notes: During the 1630s, the Genoese artist Bernardo Strozzi painted a number of female figures representing various intellectual and artistic pursuits, reflecting the appeal of such allegories among learned patrons in northern Italy. Recent scholarship has convincingly identified the subject of this painting as Minerva. The Roman goddess of war has put aside her armor for more contemplative pursuits; her upward gaze—as if seeking inspiration—recalls her other associations with wisdom, eloquence, and the arts.
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtAllegorical FigureOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.