This remarkable High Renaissance portrait, created around 1490 by Leonardo da Vinci, captures Cecilia Gallerani, the teenage mistress of Ludovico Sforza, Duke of Milan. Breaking from the common profile view of the era, Leonardo presents Cecilia in a dynamic three-quarter pose, provocatively engaging the viewer as she attentively gazes towards something unseen. She gently holds an ermine, a creature that symbolizes moderation and purity, fitting for a Renaissance lady. The artist's masterful touch is evident in the contrasting textures: the smooth skin of Cecilia's face against the animal’s soft fur, and the intricate details of her embroidered dress next to plain silk. The ermine itself may also allude to Cecilia's surname, Gallerani, or perhaps to her powerful lover, Ludovico. This artwork traveled from Italy to Poland around 1800, becoming a treasured part of Princess Izabella Czartoryska's collection and is now a highlight of the Czartoryski Museum in Kraków, celebrated as a national treasure.