Portrait of a Youth Holding an Arrow

"Born in Milan to a noble family, Boltraffio entered the school of Leonardo da Vinci in 1491, and remained with him until around 1498 or 1499. This painting, once erroneously attributed to Leonardo, reveals an aristocratic refinement that derives as much from Boltraffio's own artistic gifts as from Leonardo's influences. The sitter is thought to be Girolamo Casio, a well-known Bolognese poet who was a close friend of the artist. Casio is shown wearing a narrow headband, called a fillet, that is intertwined with laurel leaves and holding an arrow--both symbols of Apollo, the patron of poetry." Collection: Timken Museum of Art; Item ID #: 1964:001. Information source © Timken Museum of Art, info@timkenmuseum.org. (Note: research is still being conducted on works that appear in the Balboa Park Commons. For more information about this work, please email: info@timkenmuseum.org). Data from: "Portrait of a Youth Holding an Arrow," in the Balboa Park Commons website. Copyright © 2015. (Fair use is permitted by a (CC) license though the Balboa Park Commons).