Artist: Raphael Sanzio (Urbino, 1483- Rome, 1520)
Date: 1505- 1506
Dimensions: 67 cm x 56 cm
Medium: Originally oil on panel, now canvas
Location: Borghese Gallery and Museum

This painting seems to be highly motivated by Leonardo Da Vinci “The Mona Lisa” we can see the columns of a balcony, similar pose and landscape view behind the woman. It remains unclear who the lady is on this painting but she was viewed as st. Catherine of Alexandria a woman with attributes of a holy martyress. The unicorn she is holding represents the symbol of Chasity, the painting was originally oil on panel but was transferred to canvas during conservation work on 1934 revealing the unicorn removing a wheel, cloak and palm frond that was included by an unknown painter during the mid 17th century. During the restoration on 1959 x-ray radiography was used and it reveled that originally the unicorn was a dog which represented marital fidelity during Raphael’s time.