Wearing Fur

Barthel Beham
Portrait of Herzog Wilhelm IV von Bayern
ca. 1534
pastel on paper
Graphische Sammlung Albertina, Vienna

Parmigianino (Francesco Mazzola)
Portrait of a Dignitary
ca. 1537-40
oil on panel
Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna

Pietro Marescalchi
Portrait of a Gentleman
ca. 1540-50
oil on canvas
Art Institute of Chicago

Hans Holbein the Younger
Portrait of a Young Merchant
1541
oil on panel
Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna

Lavinia Fontana
Portrait of a Man in his Study
ca. 1577-78
oil on canvas
Musée des Beaux-Arts de Bordeaux

Bernardo Strozzi
Portrait of Doge Francesco Erizzo
ca. 1631
oil on canvas
Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna

Johann Ulrich Mayr
David with the Head of Goliath
ca. 1655
oil on canvas
Deutsche Barockgalerie, Augsburg

Anonymous French Artist
Portrait of Madame Peyrot de Lugagnac
ca. 1750
oil on canvas
Musée Carnavalet, Paris

Luigi Crespi
Portrait of a Woman
ca. 1760-70
oil on canvas
Harvard Art Museums

Philipp Veit
Portrait of Marie du Fay, Baroness Bernus
1838
oil on canvas
Städel Museum, Frankfurt

Isacco Gioacchino Levi
Cain contemplating his Crime
ca. 1851
oil on canvas
Galleria Nazionale di Parma

John Singer Sargent
Woman with Furs
ca. 1880-85
oil on canvas (sketch)
Clark Art Institute, Williamstown, Massachusetts

Ivan Kramskoy
Portrait of a Woman
(in use commercially as representation of Anna Karenina)
1883
oil on canvas
State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
Elsa, called The Viennese
1897
lithograph
Statens Museum for Kunst, Copenhagen

Anders Zorn
Portrait of Maja von Heijne
1900
oil on canvas
Alte Nationalgalerie, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin

Richard Roland Holst
Marsyas (Mythological Comedy)
1910
lithograph (poster)
Kunstbibliothek, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin

"Cursed may I bee," cri'd he, "if ever I take comfort, having such cause of mourning: but because you are, or seeme to be afflicted, I will not refuse to satisfie your demand, but tell you the saddest storie that ever was rehearsed by dying man to living woman, and such a one, as I feare will fasten too much sadnesse in you; yet should I denie it, I were too blame, being so well knowne to these senselesse places; as were they sensible of sorrow, they would condole, or else amased at such crueltie, stand dumbe as they doe, to find that man should be so inhumane.  Then faire Shepherdesse, heare my selfe say my name is Perissus, Nephew I am to the King of Sicilie, a place fruitfull and plentifull of all things; onely niggardly of good nature to a great man in that Country, whom I am sure you have heard me blame in my complaints.  Heire I am as yet to this King mine Uncle; and truly may I say so, for a more unfortunate Prince never lived, so as I inherit his crosses, howsoever I shall his estate.  There was in this Country (as the only blessing it enjoyed) a Lady, or rather a Goddesse for incomparable beautie, and matchles vertues, called Limena, daughter to a Duke; but, Princesse of all hearts: this starre comming to the Court to honour it with such light, it was in that my blessed destinie to see her, and be made her servant, or better to say, a slave to her perfections; thus long was I happie, but now begins the tragedie: for warres falling out betweene the people and the Gentlemen, the King was by the people (imagining he tooke the other part) brought into some danger, and so great an one, as rudenes joynd with ill nature could bring him into, being at last besieged in a strong hold of his, all of us his servants, and gentle subjects, striving for his good and safetie; in this time nothing appearing but danger, and but wise force to preserve mens lives and estates unto them, every one taking the best meanes to attaine unto their good desires."

– from The Countesse of Mountgomeries Urania, by the right honourable the Lady Mary Wroath, daughter to the right noble Robert, Earle of Leicester, and neece to the ever famous and renowned Sʳ Phillips Sidney knight, and to ye most excellant Lady Mary Countess of Pembroke, late deceased (London: John Marriott and John Grismand, 1621)