The Three Sisters

Palma Vecchio painted these three voluptuous blonde women, traditionally called sisters though their relationship is uncertain. The figures display the golden-haired beauty that Palma made his specialty, their soft flesh tones and rich fabrics rendered with Venetian warmth. One holds a jar, suggesting perhaps the Three Graces or an allegorical subject.

Palma was a leading Venetian Renaissance painter known for his sensuous female figures. This painting epitomizes his blend of idealized beauty and naturalistic rendering. Now at the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister in Dresden.