Beautiful faces at the National Gallery of Art

We began our short tour of the National Gallery with a special exhibit of works by the 17th century Dutch woman painter Judith Leyster.



In the next room are the gorgeous Vermeers, including Woman Holding a Balance.



Both depict interior domestic scenes so warm and human, so invitingly similar to our modern selves in every way but costume. These ladies seem ready to have coffee and chat, don't they?

I found this earlier portrait of Lucrezia Sommaria, by the Florentine painter Ghirlandaio, strikingly beautiful. She is cool and formal, not homey in the Dutch manner, but endlessly serene. How could she have imagined that so many would gaze upon her face these many centuries later?



Gentileschi's Saint Cecilia and an Angel is both heavenly and domestic, as the sweet angel holds music for the saint, who could be one of Lloyd's piano students, as she plays her instrument.



The only painting in America by Leonardo da Vinci is one of the National Gallery's special treasures. She is Ginevra de Benci, a cultured 15th century Florentine lady.