Young Peasant Woman Holding a Wine Flask

Giacomo Ceruti specialized in portraiture, depicting both conventional sitters and anonymous subjects from the periphery of society. This painting exemplifies the latter. Employing the visual idioms reserved for the portraits of the upper class, the artist bestows individuality and dignity on the peasant woman, her simple garments, and heavy hands. Her unaffected, confident gaze and pose anticipate the egalitarian spirit of the next century.