Paint Me A Pearl, Love

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A pearl brooch is seen in a closeup of Raphael's 'Fornarina' portrait in Milan June 13, 2005. The tiny pearl brooch seems an innocuous detail in Raphael's enigmatic 'Fornarina' portrait, but for one group of historians it unlocks a scandalous love affair kept secret for centuries. According to new research published in May, the pearl, pinned onto an elaborate turban, is part of a web of allusions to the Renaissance artist's clandestine marriage to the beautiful sitter, a baker's daughter -- despite a very public engagement to the niece of a powerful Vatican cardinal. Photo taken June 13, 2005. (Reuters - Handout)

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