Portrait of a Lady

Rogier Van Der Weyden's Portrait of a Lady is an example of private portraiture from 15th century Italy. In the portrait, Van Der Weyden portrays the young woman with a personality, unlike some formal Italian portraiture to come. Her lowered eyes and the way her hands are on top of one another, almost in prayer, suggest that she is a private woman and perhaps very religious; her dress shows that she is of noblility.
The dark background of the portrait puts all of the attention on the young woman and contrasts with some other artists' work in which there is a setting behind the people depicted. The slim woman's upper half is elongated and light in color, perhaps having been influenced by the Gothic period.

Kleiner, Fred S.. "Gardner's Art Through the Ages." 2009. Print.

Milan Cathedral

Milan Cathedral is one of the largest in Europe, and is often compared to Notre Dame in Paris and St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. The cathedral was completed within 5 centuries, the façade being finished by Napoleon Bonaparte in the 19^th century. Before Milan, the church of Santa Maria Maggiore was in its place until 1386. Because it took so long to construct, many styles influenced the cathedral—it is built in a “classic-baroque style with classical and neo gothic elements” (Duomo of Milan). The gothic cathedral took five centuries to construct and has about 135 spires and 3,400 statues, each topped with a statue of an important person in Milan’s history or from the bible. The highest spire reaches 357 feet tall and holds the symbol of Milan, Little Madonna, and no other building in Milan may be built higher than the golden statue. The massive interior, shaped like a Latin cross, contains four aisles and can hold as many as 40,000 people. The walls are covered with stained glass windows, and the interior is much more somber than the bright exterior.

"Milan Cathedral History." N.p., 2010. Web. 3 Dec 2010. .

"Milan Duomo." N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Dec 2010. .

"Duomo of Milan." N.p., 2010. Web. 3 Dec 2010. .