What is the name of Leonardo's painting of a woman holding an ermine?

What is the name of Leonardo’s painting of a woman holding an ermine? It is Lady with an Ermine. Leonardo painted the portrait during his first Milanese period, probably between 1489 and 1491.

The woman is generally identified as Cecilia Gallerani, a highly educated young poet who was the mistress of Ludovico Sforza, Leonardo’s employer in Milan. The small oil painting shows her turning toward something outside the frame while the ermine twists in the opposite direction, creating a subtle sense of movement.

The animal is not merely a decorative pet. Its identity may allude to Ludovico Sforza, whose nickname was “Il Moro,” or to Cecilia’s character and relationship with the duke; scholars continue to debate the symbolism. The ermine’s name also relates to the Greek word galē, which may echo Gallerani’s surname, though this interpretation is not certain.

Leonardo painted the work on a thin walnut panel. It is now held by the Czartoryski Museum in Kraków, Poland, and is considered one of the country’s national treasures. It is sometimes confused with Leonardo’s other female portraits, including La Belle Ferronnière, Ginevra de’ Benci, and the Mona Lisa.