Around 1494, to celebrate either the engagement or marriage of Matteo di Sebastiano di Bernardino Goazzadini to Ginevra d’Antonio Lupari Goazzadini, artist Maestro delle Storie del Pane painted the portraits of the happy couple.
The portraits are filled with imagery symbolizing fertility, marriage, and chastity.
And most importantly for this blog – a unicorn!
Following the medieval tradition of unicorns being attracted to virgins, the painting highlights the virginity of the bride Ginevra.
For more about the two portraits, see their descriptions found at the Metropolitan Museum of Art here and here.
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