Rebecca is a key character in Ivanhoe, a historical novel by Sir Walter Scott (1771–1832), set in the late 12th century. The young Jewish woman is in love with Ivanhoe, the protagonist, whose life she saves. However, she is forced to step aside to make way for Lady Rowena, the woman the hero loves. Charming, cultured, and passionate, Rebecca embodies the ideals and virtues of the Romantic sensibility.

Giuseppe Molteni, family portrait painter, restorer and friend of Gian Giacomo Poldi Pezzoli, chose to tackle a historical subject for the first time in his career just as Ivanhoe was at the peak of its success.

His work is characterised by the extreme care with which the setting and clothing are depicted, allowing him to create paintings of the highest quality and sophistication, and to rival the master of the Romantic school, Francesco Hayez, on the Lombard artistic scene.

The skill with which the woman is depicted is fully expressed in the details: the play of light on the turban fabric with its large ostrich feather, the soft strands of hair grazing her shoulders and the sad expression that hides the pain of love denied. Modelling his Rebecca on Scott’s description, Molteni’s portrait is not only a homage to the refined beauty of the young Jewish woman and her virtues, but a true celebration of the charm of one of Romantic literature’s most famous heroines.