Marcus Chen
Leonardo da Vinci was an Italian Renaissance painter, draftsman, sculptor, architect, and engineer. He is considered one of the greatest painters in the history of Western art and is often credited as the founder of the High Renaissance. While he left behind many notebooks filled with jottings and sketches, there are very few finished works by Leonardo da Vinci. Some of his famous paintings include the 'Mona Lisa', 'The Last Supper', 'Lady with an Ermine', 'Salvator Mundi', 'Saint Jerome in the Wilderness', 'The Virgin of the Rocks', and 'Adoration of the Magi'.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of universally attributed major works | 8 |
| Universally attributed major works | The Adoration of the Magi, Saint Jerome in the Wilderness, the Louvre Virgin of the Rocks, The Last Supper, the ceiling of the Sala delle Asse, The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne and Saint John the Baptist, The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne, and the Mona Lisa |
| Widely attributed works | The Annunciation, Madonna of the Carnation, The Baptism of Christ, Ginevra de' Benci, the Benois Madonna, the Portrait of a Musician, Lady with an Ermine, Salvator Mundi, The Vitruvian Man, Saint John the Baptist |
| Year of birth | 1452 |
| Year of death | 1519 |
| Place of birth | Anchiano, near Vinci, Tuscany, Italy |
| Place of death | Cloux, France |
| Total number of paintings | 11 |
| Number of paintings displayed at the Louvre in 2019 | 5 |
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What You'll Learn
The Mona Lisa
The painting is believed to have been created between 1503 and 1519, with some sources stating that Leonardo may have continued working on it as late as 1517, the year before he died. It is painted in oil on a white poplar panel and is currently on display at the Louvre Museum in Paris, where it has been since 1804. The painting has been the subject of much speculation and debate, particularly regarding the identity of the sitter.
Traditionally, it was believed that the painting depicted Lisa del Giocondo, a member of the Gherardini family of Florence and Tuscany, and the wife of wealthy Florentine silk merchant Francesco del Giocondo. This identity was first suggested in 1550 by artist biographer Giorgio Vasari, who wrote that "Leonardo undertook to paint, for Francesco del Giocondo, the portrait of Mona Lisa, his wife." The title of the painting, which is known in English as "Mona Lisa", is based on this presumption, with "Monna" or "Madonna" being a polite form of address in Italian, similar to "Ma'am" or "Madam" in English.
However, scholars have developed several alternative theories, arguing that Lisa del Giocondo was the subject of a different portrait and identifying at least four other paintings referred to by Vasari as the Mona Lisa. Other possible subjects include Isabella of Aragon, Cecilia Gallerani, Costanza d'Avalos, Duchess of Francavilla, and even Leonardo himself. The true identity of the sitter remains a mystery, adding to the allure and fascination of the painting.
The painting's global fame and popularity are also partly due to its theft in 1911 by Vincenzo Peruggia, who attributed his actions to Italian patriotism, believing that the painting should belong to Italy. The theft and subsequent recovery in 1914 generated unprecedented publicity, leading to numerous cultural depictions in opera, film, and music. The Mona Lisa holds the Guinness World Record for the highest known painting insurance valuation in history, and its fame has only continued to grow, with millions of visitors flocking to the Louvre each year specifically to catch a glimpse of this iconic work of art.
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The Last Supper
Leonardo da Vinci's mural painting, The Last Supper, is considered one of his most important works and among the most famous artworks in the Western world. The painting, created between 1494 and the beginning of 1498, depicts Christ's final meal with his apostles before Judas identifies him to the authorities, as told in the Gospel of John.
The painting is housed in the refectory of the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, Italy, and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1980. The site is recognised as "a unique artistic achievement, of exceptional universal value that transcends all historical contingencies".
The painting has been the subject of much speculation and interpretation, with writers and historical revisionists offering various interpretations, particularly surrounding purported hidden messages or hints within the artwork.
Two early copies of The Last Supper are known to exist, attributed to da Vinci's assistants. These copies are almost the same size as the original and have preserved a wealth of original details.
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Lady with an Ermine
Leonardo da Vinci is widely regarded as one of the greatest painters in the history of Western art. He is known for his role in the High Renaissance, during which he continually tested artistic traditions and techniques. However, only a few of his paintings survived.
One of these surviving paintings is the "Lady with an Ermine", a portrait of Cecilia Gallerani, the mistress of Ludovico Sforza, Duke of Milan. Leonardo was the official painter to the Sforza court in Milan at the time of its execution. Gallerani was renowned for her beauty, scholarship, and poetry. She was born into a non-noble family and first entered the Duke's service as a lady-in-waiting. She was about sixteen years old when the portrait was painted and was probably painted between 1489 and 1491. The painting is one of only four surviving portraits of women painted by Leonardo, the others being Ginevra de' Benci, La Belle Ferronnière, and the Mona Lisa.
The "Lady with an Ermine" is painted in oils on a panel of walnut wood. The paint is evenly applied, and the background was originally dark grey. However, during a 19th-century renovation, it was covered in black paint. The painting has been heavily over-painted, with the entire background darkened, the dress below the ermine retouched, and a transparent veil being worn by the woman repainted to match the colour of her hair. The presence of the ermine, a symbol of chastity, also symbolizes marital fidelity and can be understood in the context of Cecilia's marriage to Count Lodovico Bergamino, which took place soon after she gave birth to her son by Ludovico in 1491.
The "Lady with an Ermine" is considered one of the most important works in all of Western art. It is currently housed at the Czartoryski Museum in Kraków, Poland, and is one of Poland's national treasures. The painting measures 40.3 cm wide and 54.8 cm high.
The painting was acquired in Italy in 1798 by Prince Adam George Czartoryski and incorporated into the Czartoryski family collections in 1800. It was purchased for his mother, Princess Izabela, a keen collector and the founder of the Czartoryski Museum.
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The Virgin of the Rocks
The version generally considered the prime version, the earlier of the two, is unrestored and hangs in the Louvre in Paris. It is about 8 cm (3 in) taller than the London version and is painted in oils on a wooden panel, which has since been transferred to canvas. It is dated around 1483–1486 and is about 2 metres (over 6 feet) high. Most art historians agree that this work is entirely by Leonardo.
The other version hangs in the National Gallery in London and was restored between 2008 and 2010. This version is dated before 1508 and is also painted in oils on a wooden panel. It is largely, possibly entirely, by Leonardo and is unfinished in parts.
There are a number of theories to explain the existence of two paintings. One theory suggests that the Louvre painting was produced to fulfil a commission of 1483 in Milan and was privately sold by Leonardo, with the London version painted later to fill the commission. Another theory, proposed by Taylor, argues that the London painting is stylistically the earlier of the two, as it is more meticulous and in keeping with Leonardo's Florentine training. Taylor suggests that the Louvre painting was created for a different clientele and gives it a date in the 1490s.
Leonardo's Virgin of the Rocks is a mystical vision of Mary, Christ, John the Baptist, and an angel in heaven. Leonardo indicates the divinity of the figures by giving them ideal beauty and grace. He also groups the figures together within a geometric shape of a pyramid, creating an illusion of space. The painting also demonstrates Leonardo's understanding of the natural world, with an accuracy to the anatomy of the figures, botanical specimens, and geology.
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Saint Jerome in the Wilderness
The painting is innovative for the oblique trapezoid form of the figure of the saint, with angular forms that contrast with the sinuous form of the lion, which transcribes an "S" across the bottom of the painting. The lion is also a symbol of power and strength associated with the Gospel of Mark, which Jerome translated into Latin. The rendering of the muscles in Saint Jerome's neck and shoulders is seen as the first of Leonardo's anatomical drawings, and the painting is a wonderful pictorial presentation of the artist's emotional turmoil during that period.
The painting has had a tumultuous history. At some point, the panel was cut into five pieces, with the head portion being used as a box top and the back of the bottom two-thirds being used as part of a workbench. The painting was later reassembled for Cardinal Fesch, the uncle of Napoleon Bonaparte, in the early 19th century. After his death, the painting was purchased by Pope Pius IX in 1856 and is now on display in the Vatican Museum Pinacoteca.
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Frequently asked questions
Some of Leonardo da Vinci's paintings include:
- The Last Supper
- The Mona Lisa
- The Virgin of the Rocks
- Lady with an Ermine
- Saint Jerome in the Wilderness
- Ginevra de' Benci
Leonardo da Vinci's painting, The Last Supper, was created using oil-based paint on plaster, which caused the painting to deteriorate quickly. His painting, The Virgin of the Rocks, exists in two versions due to a legal dispute.
In addition to his paintings, Leonardo da Vinci also produced several notable drawings, including The Vitruvian Man, which depicts a man with his arms and legs outstretched inside a circle and square. He also drew a portrait of Isabella, which was used to create a painted portrait that has since been lost.
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