The young Raphael, a notorious ladies man, painted this fresh sprite of a portrait. They were likely close in age. But viewers also sense that there was nothing between painter and subject in Lady With a Unicorn. She's a remote beauty. Her loveliness resonates more chilly than sensual. The battered looking unicorn she cradles brings a tenderness to her, though. This isn't a typical unicorn. Most sparkle with bright and magical elegance. The Lady's unicorn appears fragile as a brown baby bird. This gives her the essence of motherhood. The tiny mythical creature leans into a velvety soft crook of her arm. Turns out this wasn't Raphael's original take on Lady With a Unicorn. One of the painting's owners later paid an artist to cover the unicorn. They wanted a portrait of St. Catherine. So, no mythical creatures allowed. This over paint was later removed to again reveal our delicate unicorn. That's why the tiny animal seems a bit smudged beside the clear luminosity of our Lady. It brings even more meaning to this masterpiece. Unicorns represent innocence and virginity. The painting's tribulations through time run parallel to this Lady. A woman of this time, the late 1400s, struggled to maintain an immaculate reputation.

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