Girl with Cherries

Marco d'Oggiono

ca. 1491–95 · Oil on wood · European Paintings

Painted by Marco d’Oggiono, a close associate of Leonardo da Vinci’s in Milan, this picture combines elements of portraiture and allegory. The richly dressed female wearing an inscrutable smile is crowned with ivy and holds a bowl of cherries. The meaning is enigmatic: it may allude to marriage (ivy symbolized marital fidelity) but also suggests a connection with sophisticated literary circles. D’Oggiono built a successful career, first by working in Leonardo’s style and making copies after his paintings, later breaking away and crafting his own artistic identity.

Artist

Marco d'Oggiono

Date

ca. 1491–95

Medium

Oil on wood

Department

European Paintings

Credit line

Marquand Collection, Gift of Henry G. Marquand, 1890