Why has this painting had so many names?

Lorenzo Lotto's 'Portrait of a Woman inspired by Lucretia' is a curious painting. We don’t know for certain who the woman is, but we have incredible insight into her character.

Painted around 1530-3, the woman in this portrait stands boldly, holding our gaze in a way unusual to portraits of women in the 16th century. She holds a drawing of the Roman heroine Lucretia, whose story is one of sexual violence and suicide.

The setting is simple yet filled with intricate detail. The sitter is confident and richly dressed. Her hand gestures towards the paper, inscribed with a Lucretia's final words. The painting has had many names over the centuries as our understanding of it has changed.

Join art historian Melissa Baksh and take a closer look at Lorenzo Lotto’s sumptuous portrait.