Venetian ceruse
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Venetian ceruse or Venetian white, also known as blanc de céruse de Venise and Spirits of Saturn, was a 16th-century cosmetic used as a skin whitener. It was in great demand and considered the best av
Some sources state that Elizabeth I of England may have used Venetian ceruse.
Cerussite, the active ingredient present in Venetian ceruse
White lead in the form of moulded tablets, once used as a cosmetic in Ancient Greece
A portrait of Maria Coventry representing 18th-century beauty ideals of a clear, fair complexion with rouged cheeks and lips
Isabella d'Este
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Isabella d'Este was the Marchioness of Mantua and one of the leading women of the Italian Renaissance as a major cultural and political figure.
Venetian ceruse
…result of her faithful use of the cosmetic product. The general public referred to her as "Death by Vanity". Another devout user of Venetian ceruse was Isabella d'Este, whose appearance demonstrated how ceruse caused permanent damage and premature ageing. In 1534, an account by Pietro Aretino described her "smeared…
Portrait of Isabella d'Este by Leonardo da Vinci (c. 1499–1500)
Ambras Miniature of Isabella, anonymous artist (16th century)
Isabella's husband, Francesco II Gonzaga, Marquis of Mantua
Maiolica plate from Urbino with the arms of Isabella and her late husband, c. 1524 (Victoria and Albert Museum)