Rare painting makes stop at MAM before returning to Italy

One of the most celebrated paintings of the Italian Renaissance, Raphael: The Woman with the Veil (La Donna Velata), will be on view at the Milwaukee Art Museum from March 27 through June 6.
The Milwaukee Art Museum is one of only three museums in the country where the painting will be shown. It was completed in 1516, and was once considered to be the most famous painting in the world.
“We understand that TheWoman with the Veil will not leave Florence again for many years because of its artistic and cultural significance,” said Laurie Winters, director of exhibitions for the Milwaukee Art Museum. “We’re thrilled to share this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see one of the greatest paintings of the Italian Renaissance right here in the Midwest.”
Raphael died at the age of 37, just four years after he completed The Woman with the Veil in response to Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. The portrait depicts his own idea of female beauty.
“This is a major highlight in the Museum’s more than 120-year history,” said Dan Keegan, director of the Milwaukee Art Museum. “It is a coup for our institution and an incredible chance for the public, students and scholars to experience firsthand an extraordinary masterpiece of the Renaissance.”