A love among almond blossoms. Saronno, 1525: When her beloved husband does not return from a bloody battle, the young noblewoman Simonetta di Saronno is in danger of breaking down from her grief. Since the countless campaigns of war have depleted the couple's fortune, she reluctantly accepts an offer from the painter Bernardino Luini. He wants to immortalise Simonetta as a model in a fresco in the church of Santa Maria dei Miracoli in exchange for payment. Soon Simonetta feels drawn to the artist, and he too is enchanted by her beauty. But their secret love is overshadowed by a scandal that endangers not only Simonetta's reputation but also Bernardino's life...