Mona Lisa, also known as La Gioconda, is the wife of Francesco del Giocondo. This painting is painted as oil on wood. The original painting size is 77 x 53 cm (30 x 20 7/8 in) and is owned
by the Government of France and is on the wall in the Louvre in Paris, France.
This figure of a woman, dressed in the Florentine fashion of her day and seated in a visionary, mountainous landscape, is a remarkable instance of Leonardo’s sfumato
technique of soft, heavily shaded modeling. The Mona Lisa’s enigmatic expression, which seems both alluring and aloof, has given the portrait universal fame.
The Mona Lisa’s famous smile represents the sitter in the same way that the juniper branches represent Ginevra Benci and the ermine represents
Cecilia Gallerani in their portraits, in Washington and Krakow respectively. It is a visual representation of the idea of happiness suggested by the word «gioconda»
in Italian. Leonardo made this notion of happiness the central motif of the portrait: it is this notion that makes the work such an ideal. The nature of the landscape also plays a role. The middle
distance, on the same level as the sitter’s chest, is in warm colors. Men live in this space: there are a winding road and a bridge. This space represents the transition
between the space of the sitter and the far distance, where the landscape becomes a wild and uninhabited space of rocks and water which stretches to the horizon, which
Leonardo has cleverly drawn at the level of the sitter’s eyes.
The painting was among the first portraits to depict the sitter before an imaginary landscape and
Leonardo was one of the first painters to use aerial perspective. The enigmatic woman is portrayed seated
in what appears to be an open loggia with dark pillar bases on either side. Behind her, a vast landscape recedes to icy mountains. Winding paths and a distant bridge
give only the slightest indications of human presence. The sensuous curves of the woman’s hair and clothing, created through sfumato, are echoed in the undulating
imaginary valleys and rivers behind her. The blurred outlines, graceful figure, dramatic contrasts of light and dark, and overall feeling of calm are characteristic
of da Vinci’s style. Due to the expressive synthesis that da Vinci achieved between sitter and landscape, it is arguable whether Mona Lisa should be considered as a
traditional portrait, for it represents an ideal rather than a real woman. The sense of overall harmony achieved in the painting especially apparent in the sitter’s
faint smile reflects the idea of a link connecting humanity and nature.
In the Renaissance which brought together all human activities, art meant science, art meant truth to life: Leonardo da Vinci was a great figure because he embodied the epic endeavor
of Italian art to conquer universal values: he who combined within himself the fluctuating sensitivity of the artist and the deep wisdom of the scientist, he, the poet and the master.
In his Mona Lisa, the individual, a sort of miraculous creation of nature, represents at the same time the species: the portrait goes beyond its social limitations and acquires a universal meaning. Although Leonardo worked
on this picture as a scholar and thinker, not only as a painter and poet, the scientific and philosophical aspects of his research inspired no following. But the formal aspect — the new presentation, the nobler attitude, and the
increased dignity of the model — had a decisive influence over Florentine portraits of the next twenty years, over the classical portrait. With his Mona Lisa, Leonardo created a new formula, at the same time more monumental and
more lively, more concrete and yet more poetic than that of his predecessors. Before him, portraits had lacked mystery; artists only represented outward appearances without any soul, or, if they showed the soul, they tried to
express it through gestures, symbolic objects, or inscriptions. The Mona Lisa alone is a living enigma: the soul is there, but inaccessible.
10 Facts You Might not Know about the Masterpiece
1. She lived with Francois I, Louis XIV and Napoleon
Although da Vinci began work on his masterpiece while living in his native Italy, he did not finish it until he moved to France at King Francois I’s request. The French king displayed the painting in his Fontainebleau palace
where it remained for a century. Louis XIV removed it to the grand Palace of Versailles. At the outset of the 19th century, Napoleon Bonaparte kept the painting in his boudoir.
2. Some historians believe Mona Lisa is a Self-Portrait of Leonardo da Vinci.
Leonardo da Vinci died in 1519, and he is buried at a French castle. Italy’s National Committee for Cultural Heritage is undertaking an investigation, and plans to dig up his skull. They want
to rebuild Leonardo’s face, using CSI-style technology. Will he resemble the mysterious Mona Lisa?
3. She has her own room in the Louvre Museum in Paris.
After the Louvre launched a four-year, $6.3 million renovation in 2003, the painting now has its own room. A glass ceiling lets in natural light, a shatter-proof glass display case maintains a controlled temperature of 43 degrees F.
and a little spotlight brings out the true colors of da Vinci’s original paints.
4. It is a painting but not a canvas.
Da Vinci’s famous masterpiece is painted on a poplar plank. Considering he was accustomed to painting larger works on wet plaster, a wood plank does not seem that outlandish. Canvas was available to artists since the 14th
century, but many Renaissance masters preferred wood as a basis for their small artworks.
5. Jackie Kennedy invited her to visit.
Over the centuries, French officials have only rarely let the painting out of their sight. However, when first lady Jackie Kennedy asked if the painting could visit the U.S., French President de Gaulle agreed. «Mona Lisa» went
on display at the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. and then at the Metropolitan Museum of the Arts in New York City.
6. A thief made her famous.
Although in the art world, the painting had always been an acknowledged masterpiece, it wasn’t until it was stolen in the summer of 1911 that it would capture the attention of the general public. Newspapers spread the story of
the crime worldwide. When the painting finally returned to the Louvre two years later, practically the whole world was cheering.
7. Picasso was under suspicion for the theft.
During the investigation, the gendarmes went so far as to question known art dissidents such as Pablo Picasso about the theft. They briefly arrested poet Guillaume Apollinaire, who had
once said the painting should be burned. Their suspicions proved to be unfounded.
8. She receives fan mail.
Since the painting first arrived at the Louvre in 1815, «Mona Lisa» has received plenty of love letters and flowers from admirers. She even has her own mailbox.
9. Not everyone is a fan.
Various vandals have tried to harm da Vinci’s famed masterpiece, and 1956 was a particularly bad year. In two separate attacks, one person threw acid at the painting, and another individual pelted it with a rock. The damage
is faint but still noticeable. The addition of bulletproof glass repelled subsequent attacks with spray paint in 1974 and a coffee cup in 2009.
10. She cannot be bought or sold.
Truly priceless, the painting cannot be bought or sold according to French heritage law. As part of the Louvre collection, «Mona Lisa» belongs to the public, and by popular agreement, their hearts belong to her.
Leonardo da Vinci, Mona Lisa, c. 1503-1505, oil on wood
Leonardo’s Mona Lisa is one of the most famous paintings in the world. Today it is in the Louvre in Paris, but it was produced in Florence when Leonardo moved there to live from about 1500-1508. It is sometimes called La Jaconde in French (or in Italian, La Giaconda) because it is believed to be the portrait of the wife of Francesco del Giocondo, whose name was Lisa (Mona = short for “Madonna” (lady)). This identification was provided by Vasari in the sixteenth century, but this was later disputed. It is likely that the uncertainty over the sitter’s identification has added to the mystery and lure surrounding this painting over the years.
According to Vasari, the painting was not finished over the course of four years, which may have resulted in the difference in the craquelure (level of cracking on the surface) in the face and in the hands. The portrait shows what appears to be a typical portrait of a woman in which her wealth is not primary thing on display. She is veiled, her hands are crossed, and she has a faint smile – or some expression masquerading as a smile – which seems to capture the viewer’s gaze.
The way Leonardo painted this portrait deviated from the traditional way women were painted like this in Italy. Mona Lisa looks directly out at us, the viewers, which was something unconventional for a woman in a portrait to do at this time. She also appears rather content and assured in her demeanor, which reflected more the expectations of the aristocracy among men rather than among women. Further, until this point in time, portraits of both men and women were typically cut off in the middle of torso and hands were raised so that we the head and face and shoulders occupies more of the panel upon which the paint was applied. Here, however, the portrait shows not only the woman’s head and upper torso, but much of her body down to just below her waist. We see all of her arms, which are not raised up but resting comfortably on the armrests of her chair. The implication of this kind of view is that we are seeing the entire person, rather than just a sliver of her. Leonardo’s approach was innovative and would start a trend in portrait painting which would influence European painting into 1800s.
The way Leonardo has rendered the body of the woman is nothing less than extraordinary, and it truly reveals the jump forward in the level of naturalism that Italian painters made between 1400 and 1500. Leonardo makes use of his sfumato technique to show how the light bounces off her skin in certain places while leaving other parts in darker shadows. Her skin appears to be soft and smooth, and she looks quite like a real, though perhaps somewhat idealized, woman would look like right in front of us. Leonardo’s skill in this painting particularly impressed the sixteenth-century painter and historian Vasari, who had the following to say about it:
In this head, whoever wished to see how closely art could imitate nature, was able to comprehend it with ease; for in it were counterfeited all the minutenesses that with subtlety are able to be painted, seeing that the eyes had that lustre and watery sheen which are always seen in life, and around them were all those rosy and pearly tints, as well as the lashes, which cannot be represented without the greatest subtlety. The eyebrows, through his having shown the manner in which the hairs spring from the flesh, here more close and here more scanty, and curve according to the pores of the skin, could not be more natural. The nose, with its beautiful nostrils, rosy and tender, appeared to be alive. The mouth, with its opening, and with its ends united by the red of the lips to the flesh-tints of the face, seemed, in truth, to be not colours but flesh. In the pit of the throat, if one gazed upon it intently, could be seen the beating of the pulse. And, indeed, it may be said that it was painted in such a manner as to make every valiant craftsman, be he who he may, tremble and lose heart.
Apart from the naturalism in the figure, the painting includes a background which provides us with a stark contrast. Leonardo has placed Lisa against a vast landscape. The original loggia she was under was cropped out, but you can still see the base of the vertical supports to either side of her (at the right and left edges of the painting). If we look over her shoulder to the left side, we see a road that leads to distance, and mountains painted in a way which seems similar – at least on some level – to Chinese landscape painting of the preceding centuries. On the right side, we can see a bridge, and a road which leads to sea in the distance. It is in this vast landscape that we find a compelling juxtaposition in this painting. We have directly in front of us a touchable woman who is in the world of the here-and-now. She seems real to us – a very lifelike figure. Behind her we have a vast landscape which goes off into unknowable distances, and seems to continue on into a type of misty haze. The contrast between the woman and the background landscape is therefore quite remarkable, and it lends to the power of the painting.
Overall, the Mona Lisa is a masterpiece in portrait painting which has stood the test of time and continues to inspire and amaze visitors to the Louvre from around the world. Yet, if we consider it apart from its current role as a leading icon of pop culture in the modern world, we can very much see how this innovative work would have created an impression on Leonardo’s contemporaries in the sixteenth century. It is within this context of history that the Mona Lisa truly shines forth as a work of genius which caused Vasari to lavish so much praise.
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MONA LISA SCENERY MAY BE AS REAL AS HER SMILE
Behind the Mona Lisa, Leonardo da Vinci painted a fantastic topography of jagged mountains, with a misty lake and a winding river. The only man-made object in sight is a rustic bridge which is visible over Mona Lisa’s shoulder.
Over the years, there have been plenty of claims for the location, as cities and regions vied to call Leonardo their own. Some art historians said it was simply an invented landscape but not two amateur art sleuths claim ___1___. They have combined simple observation, historical research and computer technology to pinpoint the location in eastern Tuscany, near Arezzo, 40 miles southeast of Florence. Carlo Stamazzi, a University of Florence paleontologist, says of the landscape in the famous painting ___2___, that what seems to be a winding road leading to the lake is a canal ___3___ and that to the right is the Burgiano Bridge, a medieval stone structure ___4___. He also believes that the mysterious peaks in the painting are not mountains at all, but a group of eroded hills unique to Tuscany. Starnazzi began his research after a friend surmised ___5___. But how might Leonardo have got such an interesting view? Stamazzi discovered ___6___. and he decidcd that Leonardo would probably have surveyed the terrain from it. Stamazzi then rigged up computer models to approximate how the area might have looked from the castle vantage point. “It looks,” he said, “pretty much like the scene in Mona Lisa.” Some experts are skeptical. John Sherman, a Renaissance art professor at Harvard University, points out that the kind of landscape painted by Leonardo had precedents in works by previous artists.
A. which links the lake to the Amo River
В. that an old castle once stood about 1,5 miles from the bridge
С. that spans the Amo and is still open to traffic
D. that he had been there himself
E. that the landscape is as real as the Mona Lisa herself
F. that the lake to the left of the painting is Lake Chiana
G. that the Burgano Bridge might be the one painted in the ‘Mona Lisa’
1 – E; 2 – F; 3 – A; 4 – C; 5 – G; 6 – B
MONA LISA SCENERY MAY BE AS REAL AS HER SMILE
Behind the Mona Lisa, Leonardo da Vinci painted a fantastic topography of jagged mountains, with a misty lake and a winding river. The only man-made object in sight is a rustic bridge which is visible over Mona Lisa’s shoulder.
Over the years, there have been plenty of claims for the location, as cities and regions vied to call Leonardo their own. Some art historians said it was simply an invented landscape but not two amateur art sleuths claim that the landscape is as real as the Mona Lisa herself. They have combined simple observation, historical research and computer technology to pinpoint the location in eastern Tuscany, near Arezzo, 40 miles southeast of Florence. Carlo Stamazzi, a University of Florence paleontologist, says of the landscape in the famous painting that the lake to the left of the painting is Lake Chiana, that what seems to be a winding road leading to the lake is a canal which links the lake to the Amo River and that to the right is the Burgiano Bridge, a medieval stone structure that spans the Amo and is still open to traffic. He also believes that the mysterious peaks in the painting are not mountains at all, but a group of eroded hills unique to Tuscany. Starnazzi began his research after a friend surmised that the Burgano Bridge might be the one painted in the ‘Mona Lisa’. But how might Leonardo have got such an interesting view? Stamazzi discovered that an old castle once stood about 1,5 miles from the bridge. and he decidcd that Leonardo would probably have surveyed the terrain from it. Stamazzi then rigged up computer models to approximate how the area might have looked from the castle vantage point. “It looks,” he said, “pretty much like the scene in Mona Lisa.” Some experts are skeptical. John Sherman, a Renaissance art professor at Harvard University, points out that the kind of landscape painted by Leonardo had precedents in works by previous artists.
One question that is very frequently asked: Why Is Mona Lisa Painting So Famous? On your first sight, the Mona Lisa, painted by the renowned artist Leonardo Da Vinci seems just like another simple portrait featuring a woman.
This work of art was created between 1503 – 1519. The painting displays a woman with brown eyes, dark-colored hair, a large-sized forehead, and a broad chin. The lady in the painting is sitting with her hands rested on the chair’s armrest. A very natural background, including trees, hills, roads, and rivers, is depicted.
Even though it looks simple, this masterpiece of a painting revolutionized the skill and art of making portraits. The painting also includes a dramatic and varied landscape as the background.
Ask the public what they find to be distinctive features in the portrait Mona Lisa, and they will time and again say that it is the charismatic stare and the mysterious smile.
“Do you smile to tempt a new lover, Mona Lisa?” was the line that King Cole kept humming in the critically acclaimed song written in 1950. Another hauntingly beautiful line in the song is, “Or is this the way to hide a broken heart?”
If you look carefully, one can see that the smile on her face is very slightly visible, and it is not even portraying any specific emotion. However, what separates the painting from the herd is that Leonardo had created similar portraits.
However, this is ultra-popular in the history of brilliant art masterpieces.
Artist As Well As A Scientist
Leonardo Da Vichi
The tale of this masterpiece facilitates in illustrating why the portrait in itself is dazzling. The creator of Mona Lisa, Leonardo da Vinci was a painter with many interests.
He was fascinated by engineering in addition to various scientific discoveries. Once he completed painting Mona Lisa, he stayed in both Milan as well as Paris to study anatomy. He was also designated as an architectural advisor before he left Italy in 1516.
He shifted to the rural part of France. Consequently, he completely left painting for the most part. Instead of painting, he spent quite some time with King Francis I. He made sketches of picturesque landscapes and festivals, all for the highness’s family.
After Leonardo died suddenly of a deadly stroke in 1519, the royal crown of France secured the painting. The artwork continued to be confined in the royal family’s grasp. It was kept out of ordinary people’s sight for many centuries.
When the leader of the French Revolution, Napoleon Bonaparte came, he found the work of art quite amusing. Thus, he got the Mona Lisa to be hanged in Louvre in 1804. It still attracts hordes.
Even when it was unveiled publicly, not many people appreciated the excellent work of art. It did not even receive the attention and praise it deserved. Comparatively, Michaelangelo’s, and Raphael’s work were taken more seriously and were more popular.
Half a century forward, France’s symbolist poets laid the groundwork that led to the ignition of fascination regarding this artwork. Importantly, it had made a connection with the revival or Renaissance movement.
Almost every one of their poems is about a ‘femme fatale’, a woman who was said to be as dangerous in a seductive way.
The Subject Of A Global Investigation For Mona Lisa Painting
After the painting went missing, it became the symbol signaling drama as well as intrigue. Few Italian men whose leader was a former employee of the museum stealthily went into the museum and escaped easily with the art.
It is stated that he simply walked out with the piece on a fine Sunday afternoon.
This particular robbery or heist broke the media outlets since it became breaking news. It made headlines all around the globe. Passers-by crowded the spot where the painting used to be hung. The mystery of the stolen painting eventually became this humungous international forage in 1913.
When the man named Vincenzo Perugia, who stole the painting, tried laying it off by selling to another Florentine-based art dealer. This is how Mona Lisa become the most popular piece of work globally.
Why Is Mona Lisa Painting So Famous? – Five Interesting Specialties
The Mona Lisa is one of the most loved and admired pieces of art in the whole world. The portrait of the smiling lady is the most valued and written about piece of artwork globally.
The Technique Of Mona Lisa Painting
Museum LOuvre picture
Leonardo gave birth to a new technique called SFUMATO, which consisted of the application of different types of shades, tones, as well as colors. It assisted to construct finished boundaries of the work instead of taking the help of the outlines. Also, it creates a base framework for the sketch.
Her Eyebrows
Why Is Mona Lisa Painting So Famous?
Several theories suggest that eyebrows are not present. Whereas, others say that it is a kind of fashion statement that was prevalent during those times. Moreover, others say that the artwork has not been completed.
Her Smile
Smile Of Mona Lisa
The smile is very charismatic. It is a grin that was born as a result of Leonardo’s SFUMATO technique, which was proven to be achieved by as many as 40 layers of slim and thin lacquer.
The Robbery
When the artwork was stolen, the hype created was more than enough to develop headlines globally. That is why people crowded the museum to witness the spot where the famous painting once hung.
The Provenance
The subject is Lisa Gherardini, whose husband (Francesco Del Giocondo) commissioned the piece of art. “Mona Lisa”. When translated, it meant “My Lady Lisa”, which is a polite way of addressing “my beloved lady Lisa”.
It is Beloved For a Reason
Appreciation for legendary pieces of art maximized over the years. In Mona Lisa’s case, it took around three centuries for the portrait to gain the recognition it respectfully deserved.
One reason why it became so famous is the usage of the special technique. Leonardo Da Vinci used new and different brushstroke to paint the subject. The reason for the colors being so dark is that Leonardo had not yet perfected that particular technique.
The painting was fought for by the Louvre. In the end, they caved because of the demands put forward by the museum visitors who came in significant numbers to witness the beautiful eyes of Lisa.
It now hangs safe and sound in the exhibition space, which is inside a climate-controlled as well as bulletproof space. we, thus, understand Why Is Mona Lisa Painting So Famous!
The Mona Lisa painting is one of the most emblematic portraits in the history of art, where is located at the Louvre. Painted by Leonardo da Vinci in the 16th century, it joined the collections of the court of France before being added to the works on display at the Louvre Museum. Book your Louvre Museum ticket online.
A painting in the bags of Leonardo da Vinci
It is often said that the Mona Lisa painting was a work that Leonardo da Vinci, by invitation from King François I, brought with him to France. The history books mention a female portrait that was with the Italian artist and scientist when he stayed at Clos Lucé castle (also known as the Manoir du Cloux) near to the Loire Château of Amboise.
Leonardo da Vinci Mona Lisa then belonged to the royal collections and was exhibited at the Palace of Versailles during the reign of Louis XIV. At the question where is the Mona Lisa ? it only possible to answer in the Louvre museum since 1797.
Leonardo da Vinci Mona Lisa : an enduring appeal
The composition technique of the painting makes it one of the most studied works in the history of art and by apprentice artists. It is highly regarded for its modern framing as a portrait that could be painted now. More subtly, optical effects are created by the positioning of the young woman’s eyes and her enigmatic smile. Some people say they feel watched by the Mona Lisa, no matter where they are standing. This anecdote demonstrates Leonardo da Vinci’s scientific and anatomical knowledge. As for the Mona Lisa’s famous smile, witness accounts say that a group of musicians played while the painter worked to keep this joyful attitude.
The background is also a textbook case. The sfumato technique is used to create perspective that merges gently.
Constructing the legend of the Mona Lisa painting
It is undoubtedly the mystery of the Mona Lisa that has made it so famous. But is it actually Lisa who is depicted? It is reported that the person who commissioned the painting from Leonardo da Vinci was a nobleman living in Florence. Twice widowed, Francesco del Giocondo married a young woman named Lisa in 1495. It is this story that gave the little painting, measuring 30 inches x 21 inches, its name. Another theory is that the young woman in the picture is no other than a mistress of Giuliano de’ Medici, ruler of the Republic of Florence. The mystery has never been solved.
The Mona Lisa became popular with the general public when it was famously stolen in 1911. The press jumped on the event: people wanted to know who could have stolen the Mona Lisa painting, why, and above all how. The painting was found, and the guilty party was an overly nationalistic Italian named Vincenzo Peruggia, who had intended to return the work to his home country.
The Mona Lisa in popular culture
In 1919, Marcel Duchamp used the portrait of Mona Lisa as the basis for his own version. He wrote the letters “LHOOQ” along the bottom, like “look” in English, but when each letter is read out loud in French, it makes a bawdy joke. In 2003, Dan Brown’s novel sold more than 80 million copies and gave a new dimension to the Mona Lisa. She is the focus of one of the mysteries in the Da Vinci Code, the international crime bestseller.
Where is the Mona Lisa located ?
This painting continues to surprise us. Her mystery attracts the crowds to the point of almost being an icon of the Louvre Museum. You want to know where is the Mona Lisa located ? To see her, head to the Paintings Department, Denon wing, room 6.
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In this article on Arthive, you will learn about 10 of the most famous paintings by the outstanding artist Leonardo da Vinci in the world of painting. Read the reports and reviews of the authors of Arthive.
If you are in the world of art, you must have heard of Da Vinci paintings. If you are interested in Leonardo da Vinci’s works of art, this article is the perfect read for you. He was a visionary when it came to his scientific inventions, but that was not it. He was also known for his paintings and art. Here, you will find information about all his art, from the first to Leonardo da Vinci’s last painting.
Mona Lisa, 1503
Undoubtedly one of Leonardo da Vinci’s most famous paintings, the Mona Lisa, is a work of art in itself. This archetypal masterpiece from the Italian has been the, talked-about, most written-about and sung about work in the world. This is essentially a painting of the Italian noblewoman Lisa Gherardini, made with oil on a white panel. Even though this belonged to the Giocondo family, Leonardo never gave it to them and later left it to Salai, his favorite apprentice, in his will. This painting was made from 1503 to 1506. However, it is rumored that Da Vinci kept working on this up until 1517. This art of Leonardo da Vinci has been on permanent display in Louvre, Paris, since the late 1790s. This painting also holds the Guinness World Record for the costliest known insurance valuation. If you are a fan of his work, you must see this Leonardo da Vinci’s famous art.
Vitruvian Man, 1485
This is another one of Leonardo da Vinci’s famous works and exists in ink and paper. This drawing depicts a man in two superimposed positions. While the arms and legs are straight in one, the second image shows it to be held apart. Both are inscribed in a square and circle. This painting was also accompanied by notes based on Roman Architect Vitruvius’s works, where it gets its name from. This painting mainly demonstrates Leonardo’s depiction of the ideal proportions of the human body. While the inscription in a circle and square comes from the description in Vitruvius’s book, Leonardo did not follow the arm measurements mentioned in the same book. He included the ones that he found by measuring male models in Milan. This is surely one of the most famous paintings of Leonardo da Vinci.
Self Portrait, 1490/1515–16
Although not known by many commoners, the art community really reveres and considers the self-portraits, a few of Leonardo da Vinci’s famous paintings. While there were quite a few self-portraits Vinci made of himself, the most famous one out of all of Leonardo da Vinci’s artwork was the self-portrait made in Red Chalk. While it is very well known that Vinci was on the older side when this painting was made, he does not really look very aged in the painting. Critics often argue that this came out more from his likeness towards himself instead of an accurate representation of him. Other points kept aside; this portrait fits how Leonardo imagined himself perfectly. An esteemed, elderly man with severely shaded eyes, bushy eyebrows, and a long white beard was often the typical way of representing philosophers.
Self Portrait, 1490/1515−16
The Last Supper, 1498
Known to be Leonardo da Vinci’s most famous painting, this work was estimated to have started between 1495 and 1496. It took Leonardo da Vinci about 2 years to be content with his work. One of Leonardo’s patrons, Ludovico Sforza, commissioned it as a part of renovation plans for the convent of Santa Maria Delle Grazie in Italy. Not only is this a famous painting of Leonardo da Vinci, but it is also one of the most recognizable paintings in the western world. As the name suggests, this painting depicts the last meal of Christ along with his disciples and is quite a treat to the eyes. If you are interested in witnessing Da Vinci’s famous works, this is one you should not miss out on.
Ginevra de’ Benci, 1474
The strange fact about this one is that this is one of the only Leonardo da Vinci paintings that is on public display in the Western Hemisphere. This Leonardo da Vinci’s portrait paintings are of Ginevra de’ Benci, who was a rather popular Florentine woman. She was universally considered to be the painter’s sitter. This portrait was painted in Florence from 1474 to 1478. It was mainly to commemorate the sitter’s engagement at the age of 16. At that time, portraits of female figures were mainly commissioned because of two reasons, either to recognize a betrothal or a marriage. This was undoubtedly one of the more famous Da Vinci famous paintings of the time.
Madonna and the Child, 1490
More commonly known as the Madonna Litta, this painting is still relevant and known to be one of da Vinci’s most famous works. In this painting, you will see Virgin Mary breastfeeding an infant Christ. This image is a devotional subject is known as Madonna lactans. You will find the figures set in a dark interior with two arched openings on the sides. This is very similar to Leonardo da Vinci’s first painting of the same, known as Madonna of the Carnation. Through the opening, you can see a mountainous . When you focus on the infant figure of Christ, you can see him only a goldfinch in his left hand, which also symbolizes future passion.
Madonna and the Child, 1490
Lady with an Ermine, 1489-1490
This again is portrait painting and is considered by several critics to be one of Leonardo da Vinci’s best paintings. It was done on a walnut wood panel using oils and has Cecilia Gallerani as its subject, who was also the mistress of one of Leo’s patrons, Ludovico Sforza. Leonardo had painted more than three paintings of her, but this is the only one that survived this long.
Lady with an Ermine, 1489−1490
The Virgin of the Rock, 1483-1486
Also known as Madonna of the Rocks sometimes, this one of Leo da Vinci’s paintings has two paintings of a similar subject. Both the paintings have a similar composition; however, there are certain subtle differences when it comes to the significant details. The more prime version out of Leonardo da Vinci’s all paintings is unrestored and hangs at Louvre in Paris. However, the second one was restored between 2008 and 2010 and hung at the national gallery in London. Both paintings show an infant Jesus and Mary with the infant John the Baptist. There are many minor ways the works also differ when it comes to color.
The Virgin of the Rock, 1483−1486
The Madonna of the Carnation, 1480
This Leonardo famous painting is known all around the world by several different names, including Madonna with Vase, Madonna with child, and even Virgin with Flower. This Da Vinci artwork is an oil painting that is a permanent display at Alte Pinakothek gallery. Originally this painting was said to be created by Andrea del Verrocchio, but later evidence showed that it is actually Leonardo’s work, made in the apprenticeship of Verrocchio. This motif shows baby Jesus on the lap of the Virgin Mary. She holds Jesus in her left hand, with all her jewelry and a carnation on the left. The child looks up to the mother while the mother looks down, but there is no eye contact.
The Madonna of the Carnation, 1480
Salvator Mundi, 1500
One of Leonardo da Vinci’s famous artworks, this painting holds the record for the most expensive painting ever to be sold at a public auction. Here Jesus is making the cross sign on his right hand while holding a transparent orb on the left. He is also wearing a blue dress. The orb in this Leonardo da Vinci art emulates his role as Salvador Mundi, representing the celestial sphere of the heavens. There are approximately thirty copies and variants of this Leonardo da Vinci’s painting by other followers and students of Vinci.
