“Ritratto di Lionello d’Este” (Portrait of Lionello d’Este) is a little portrait made in 1441 of the Marquis of Ferrara by Pisanello, one of the finest painters of the early Renaissance.
The profile of the face, as you can see, resembles the portraits shown on coins, and in fact Pisanello was a highly acclaimed medal maker of the time. It is admirable how he was able to depict the details of the face in such fine detail, as well as the patterns and embroidery of the exquisite fabric. The rose garden in the background alludes to heaven on earth.
