Young Lady in a Tricorn Hat

Giovanni Battista Tiepolo

National Gallery of Art

Shown from the chest up, a pale-skinned woman wears a black tricorn hat and a black cloak that covers her shoulders, chest, and much of her face in this vertical portrait painting. Her body is angled to our left, and she looks at us from the corners of her dark, almond-shaped eyes. The jet-black hat is set back slightly on her head but covers most of her forehead. A loop goes around a black button on the side to our right, and the corner of a parchment-white decoration, presumably a bow, peeks up from the far side of the hat. Her pale face is like a moon, partially visible within the opening of the cloak that goes from her temples, down her cheeks, and covers her chin to just under her lower lip. The garment is gathered over her chin, and drapes down her chest. The fabric is painted black with green undertones. A glimpse of brown hair peeks out over her left temple, to our right. Her right, gloved hand, on our left, emerges from beneath the fabric to hold a closed fan by her chin. The glove is gossamer white. The sides of the fan's sticks are coral orange, and the fan is streaked with forest green and more orange against cream white across the top, where the fabric is accordioned. The space behind her is dark, pine green, a shade lighter than the woman’s dress.