The Poet Who Was Turned Into A Picture

 

Ginevra de Benci (1457–1521)

She was a poet, but is first and foremost remembered for her portrait being painted by Leonardo da Vinci. It is the only one of his paintings on public view in USA after being bought for $5-6 million from The Prince of Lichtenstein. Somehow this portrait has gained impact over her and what she was, namely the woman Ginevra de Benci herself. I've often seen her described as her portrait, not what she was and did as a live woman. The myth of a Renaissance "muse" took over and pushed her and her personality aside. Some of the poems by others, which were dedicated to her, only extol her beauty and some pleasant parts of her personality. However, a modern poet also had something to say about this Renaissance woman:

 

John F McCullagh:

 

Ginevra de Benci

Someone has cut off my hands, not that it caused any pain

Look upon me, a proud man’s daughter, enjoy then what remains,

My eyes will stare into your soul. My lipsbear the trace of smile.

My portrait has lent immortality to this woman who never had child.

I was both a wife and a lover, this painting was made for my swain,

But he had both a wife and a mistress. In Florence he couldn’t remain.

In me you will see light and darkness. Sadness is there in my eyes

My family has made me an older man’s bride, my circumstance breeds my disguise. 

 

Maybe - just maybe - another portrait of Ginevra de Benci, this one by Lorenzo di Credi 

We know that she was a poet, but it seems that only one single line of one of her poems has survived, namely an opening of a sestina:

"I ask your forgiveness and I am a mountain tiger."  

.........................

I bet she was an interesting tiger and I regret not having more poems from her to prove it. 

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/search/

 

Wikipedia