Cecilia Gallerani was the youngest lady-in-waiting to Ludovico Sforza, the Duke of Milan, a powerful and ruthless ruler. Like Leonardo da Vinci, Cecilia Gallerani lived at the court in Milan in 1492, where she regularly hosted salons: intimate gatherings at which writers, poets, philosophers, and artists came together to present their work and exchange ideas.
The stoat was a symbol of Ludovico Sforza, representing purity and moderation. Sforza was nicknamed Ermellino Bianco (“the White Stoat”). The little animal was also chosen as a clever reference to Cecilia’s surname: her family name, Gallerani, resembles the Ancient Greek word for stoat, galéa.
