Who painted Young Woman with Unicorn?

Young Woman with Unicorn was painted by Raphael in 1505.

Where can I see Young Woman with Unicorn?

Young Woman with Unicorn is held by Borghese Collection.

What movement is Young Woman with Unicorn?

Young Woman with Unicorn is associated with High Renaissance.

Artwork

Young Woman with Unicorn

Raphael , 1505

Young Woman with Unicorn is an oil painting by the High Renaissance artist Raphael. It dates from 1505 and is held in the collection of the Borghese Collection.

About this work

Overview

The painting currently resides in the Galleria Borghese, Rome, where it forms part of the museum’s Renaissance collection.

The work titled *Young Woman with Unicorn* is an oil painting attributed to Raphael, created around 1505–1506. Executed during the artist’s early Roman period, the composition presents a solitary female figure accompanied by a unicorn, a motif that blends portraiture with allegorical symbolism. The painting currently resides in the Galleria Borghese, Rome, where it forms part of the museum’s Renaissance collection.

Subject & Meaning

The central figure is a youthful woman, rendered with delicate features and poised elegance, standing beside a unicorn—a creature traditionally associated with purity and chastity. The pairing suggests an allegorical reading, possibly alluding to virtues such as innocence or the ideal of courtly love, common themes in early sixteenth‑century Italian art.

Technique & Style

Raphael employs a refined oil technique, using layered glazes to achieve a luminous skin tone and subtle modeling of the drapery. The composition reflects the balanced geometry characteristic of his Florentine training, while the soft handling of light and the gentle modeling of the unicorn’s form anticipate his later, more mature works in Rome.

History & Provenance

Scholars place the painting’s execution in the years 1505–1506, coinciding with Raphael’s transition from Florence to Rome. After remaining in private hands for several centuries, the canvas entered the collection of Cardinal Scipione Borghese in the early seventeenth century and has been displayed in the Galleria Borghese since the museum’s establishment.