Portrait of Maria Bonciani (on the reverse: the annunciation: the angel Gabriel)

Executed in 1487, this portrait exemplifies Master of the Baroncelli Portraits's command of formal portraiture. The work reflects the social importance of commissioned portraits in the Early Renaissance, serving both as personal memento and public statement of status. Created at the threshold of the High Renaissance, this work belongs to a generation that had fully mastered perspective, anatomy, and oil technique, setting the stage for Leonardo, Raphael, and Michelangelo.

Tempera technique, reflecting earlier traditions, the portrait demonstrates Master of the Baroncelli Portraits's command of skilled technique and careful observation. The careful modeling of the face reveals close study of the sitter's physiognomy, while the treatment of costume and setting projects appropriate social standing.