Portrait of a Woman, Possibly a Novice of San Secondo

Also known as: A Nun of San Secondo; Portrait of a Nun of the Order of San Secondo

About the Artwork

Scholars have recently speculated that this work does not actually depict a nun, although it has been described as such since 1543. A beautiful young woman presented as saintly, a regular occurrence, the sitter may be the wife or daughter of Alvise Contarini. Her attire, particularly the head garb, may be secular, while some scholars consider it to be Benedictine or Dominican. The San Secondo convent was reserved for daughters of the wealthiest Venetians and conventions of dress were fairly loose until 1515 when strict reforms were enforced by religious and political authorities in Venice.

Provenance

Baron Rochdale, London (1924); (London sale 1948)); Kenneth Clark, Saltwood (1948, 1975); (Eugene V. Thaw), sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art, 1976.

Exhibition history

Year in Review, 1976. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (February 1-March 6, 1977).

Quick Overview

Artist: Jacometto Veneziano (Italian, 1497)
Date: c. 1490
Medium: oil on wood
Dimensions: Framed: 30.5 x 24 x 3 cm (12 x 9 7/16 x 1 3/16 in.); Unframed: 24 x 17.5 cm (9 7/16 x 6 7/8 in.)
Type: Painting
Classification: Painting
Department: European Painting and Sculpture
Credit line: Mr. and Mrs. William H. Marlatt Fund
Accession no.: 1976.9

Data retrieved from the Cleveland Museum of Art on October 8, 2026. The museum may have updated its record since.