Portrait of a Woman

Settling in Rome in 1818, Schnorr von Carolsfeld became a member of the Nazarene Brotherhood there. Also known as the Brotherhood of Saint Luke, after the painter-evangelist, this group of German artists painted mostly religious subjects, reflecting their interest in the Italian Renaissance. Rendered with a fine line like that of Botticelli, this extraordinarily compelling lifelike portrait was of a close relative and remained in the family until acquired by the Art Institute.