Pollaiolo’s Young Lady needed a touch-up. And the museum decided to carry out the work under the gaze of visitors. The public at the Poldi Pezzoli Museum can follow the conservative restoration in real time, appreciating the attention and care needed to preserve a masterpiece of 15th-century Italian art. Since the last restoration in 1951, the panel and the painted surface had undergone evident yellowing, which required careful and delicate action to preserve its beauty and integrity. It is not known for certain who the young woman depicted against the backdrop of a blue sky with some clouds is. The richness of the hairstyle, dress and jewels worn by the woman suggest that she is a figure from the Florentine high society of the 15th century. The face, shown in profile according to the tradition of the time, is marked by a thin black outline, which makes it stand out clearly.
