A final brushstroke and after years of effort the picture was complete.
As he stood back to survey his work the Master was pleased with the outcome.
‘One of my best’ he mused.
How he had captured that ‘smile’ though he had no idea; even now as he looked at the finished work he could see it gave the picture a powerful enigmatic quality. Even in the growing gloom of his studio that smile radiated mysteriously.
‘But I must decide’ he thought ‘this needs a better title than ‘Portrait of Madam Gherardini. ’