Leonardo da Vinci 1452 – 1519

Leonardo da Vinci 1505-1510 40x60cm tempera grassa on wooden panel Museo delle Antiche Genti di Lucania, Vaglio Basilicata
Leonardo da Vinci
1505-1510 40x60cm
tempera grassa on
wooden panel
Museo delle Antiche
Genti di Lucania,
Vaglio Basilicata
From The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519) is one of the most intriguing personalities in the history of Western art. Trained in Florence as a painter and sculptor in the workshop of Andrea del Verrocchio (1435–1488), Leonardo is also celebrated for his scientific contributions. Leonardo’s curiosity and insatiable hunger for knowledge never left him. He was constantly observing, experimenting, and inventing, and drawing was, for him, a tool for recording his investigation of nature. Although completed works by Leonardo are few, he left a large body of drawings almost 2,500) that record his ideas, most still gathered into notebooks. He was principally active in Florence (1472–ca. 1482, 1500–1508) and Milan (ca. 1482–99, 1508–13), but spent the last years of his life in Rome (1513–16) and France (1516/17–1519), where he died. His genius as an artist and inventor continues to inspire artists and scientists alike centuries after his death.
Leonardo may also be credited with the most famous portrait of all time, that of Lisa, wife of Francesco del Giocondo, and known as the Mona Lisa (Paris, Louvre). An aura of mystery surrounds this painting, which is veiled in a soft light, creating an atmosphere of enchantment. There are no hard lines or contours here (a technique of painting known as sfumato—fumo in Italian means “smoke”), only seamless transitions between light and dark. Perhaps the most striking feature of the painting is the sitter’s ambiguous half smile. She looks directly at the viewer, but her arms, torso, and head each twist subtly in a different direction, conveying an arrested sense of movement. Leonardo explores the possibilities of oil paint in the soft folds of the drapery, texture of skin, and contrasting light and dark (chiaroscuro). The deeply receding background, with its winding rivers and rock formations, is an example of Leonardo’s personal view of the natural world: one in which everything is liquid, in flux, and filled with movement and energy.

Leonardo da Vinci - Profile of a warrior in helmet 1472 Leonardo da Vinci - Annunciation 1472-1475 Leonardo da Vinci - Landscape drawing for Santa Maria della Neve 1473 Leonardo da Vinci - Woman's Head 1473 Leonardo da Vinci - The Madonna of the Carnation 1473-1478 Leonardo da Vinci - Study of hands 1474 Leonardo da Vinci - The Baptism of Christ 1475 Leonardo da Vinci - Portrait of Ginevra Benci 1476 Leonardo da Vinci - Madonna with a Flower. Madonna Benois 1478
Profile of a warrior in helmet 1472 Annunciation 1472-1475 Landscape drawing for Santa Maria della Neve 1473 Woman's Head 1473 The Madonna of the Carnation 1473-1478 Study of hands 1474 The Baptism of Christ 1475 Portrait of Ginevra Benci 1476 Madonna with a Flower. Madonna Benois 1478
Leonardo da Vinci - Study for the Madonna with the Fruit Bowl 1478 Leonardo da Vinci - Study 1478 Leonardo da Vinci - Study of a child with a cat 1478 Leonardo da Vinci - Study of the Madonna and Child with a Cat 1478 Leonardo da Vinci - Study sheet 1478 Leonardo da Vinci - Study of the Hanged Bernardo di Bandino Baroncelli, assassin of Giuliano de Medici 1479 Leonardo da Vinci - The Adoration of the Magi 1479-1481 Leonardo da Vinci - Annunciation 1480 Leonardo da Vinci - Automobile 1480
Study for the Madonna with the Fruit Bowl 1478 Study 1478 Study of a child with a cat 1478 Study of the Madonna and Child with a Cat 1478 Study sheet 1478 Study of the Hanged Bernardo di Bandino Baroncelli, assassin of Giuliano de Medici 1479 The Adoration of the Magi 1479-1481 Annunciation 1480 Automobile 1480
Leonardo da Vinci - Lily 1480 Leonardo da Vinci - St. Jerome in the Wilderness 1480 Leonardo da Vinci - Studies of central plan buildings 1480 Leonardo da Vinci - Study for the Adoration of the Magi 1480 Leonardo da Vinci - Study of nursing Madonna and profile heads 1480 Leonardo da Vinci - Crossbow Machine 1481 Leonardo da Vinci - Drawings of Water Lifting Devices 1481 Leonardo da Vinci - Multi Barrel Gun 1481 Leonardo da Vinci - Perspectival study of the Adoration of the Magi 1481
Lily 1480 St. Jerome in the Wilderness 1480 Studies of central plan buildings 1480 Study for the Adoration of the Magi 1480 Study of nursing Madonna and profile heads 1480 Crossbow Machine 1481 Drawings of Water Lifting Devices 1481 Multi Barrel Gun 1481 Perspectival study of the Adoration of the Magi 1481
Leonardo da Vinci - Siege Defenses 1481 Leonardo da Vinci - Design for a Giant Crossbow 1482 Leonardo da Vinci - Head of a girl 1483 Leonardo da Vinci - Scythed Chariot 1483 Leonardo da Vinci - Studies of a Bear Walking 1482-1485 Leonardo da Vinci - Designs for a Boat 1485 Leonardo da Vinci - Portrait of a Musician 1485 Leonardo da Vinci - The anatomy of a foot 1485 Leonardo da Vinci - The Virgin of the Rocks 1485
Siege Defenses 1481 Design for a Giant Crossbow 1482 Head of a girl 1483 Scythed Chariot 1483 Studies of a Bear Walking 1482-1485 Designs for a Boat 1485 Portrait of a Musician 1485 The anatomy of a foot 1485 The Virgin of the Rocks 1485
Leonardo da Vinci - Portrait of a Young Fiancée. La Bella Principessa 1490-1499 Leonardo da Vinci - Cannon foundry 1487 Leonardo da Vinci - Flying machine 1487 Leonardo da Vinci - Grotesque Profile 1487 Leonardo da Vinci - Design for a Flying Machine 1488 Leonardo da Vinci - Design for a flying machine 1488 Leonardo da Vinci - Head of an Old Man 1488 Leonardo da Vinci - Study of a central church 1488 Leonardo da Vinci - Study of the effect of light on a profile head 1488
Portrait of a Young Fiancée. La Bella Principessa 1490-1499 Cannon foundry 1487 Flying machine 1487 Grotesque Profile 1487 Design for a Flying Machine 1488 Design for a flying machine 1488 Head of an Old Man 1488 Study of a central church 1488 Study of the effect of light on a profile head 1488
Leonardo da Vinci - Comparison of scalp skin and onion 1489 Leonardo da Vinci - One of Leonardo da Vinci's designs for an Ornithopter 1489 Leonardo da Vinci - Studies of human skull 1489 Leonardo da Vinci - View of a Skull 1489 Leonardo da Vinci - View of a Skull 1489 Leonardo da Vinci - A study for an equestrian monument 1490 Leonardo da Vinci - Bust of a man in profile with measurements and notes 1490 Leonardo da Vinci - Five caricature heads 1490 Leonardo da Vinci - Madonna Litta. Madonna and the Child 1490
Comparison of scalp skin and onion 1489 One of Leonardo da Vinci's designs for an Ornithopter 1489 Studies of human skull 1489 View of a Skull 1489 View of a Skull 1489 A study for an equestrian monument 1490 Bust of a man in profile with measurements and notes 1490 Five caricature heads 1490 Madonna Litta. Madonna and the Child 1490
Leonardo da Vinci - Matched Couple 1490 Leonardo da Vinci - Portrait of an Unknown Woman. La Belle Ferroniere 1490 Leonardo da Vinci - Study of a woman's head 1490 Leonardo da Vinci - Study of horses 1490 Leonardo da Vinci - Study of proportion 1490 Leonardo da Vinci - The proportions of the head 1490 Leonardo da Vinci - Head of a Man in Profile Facing to the Left 1490-1494 Leonardo da Vinci - Coition of a Hemisected Man and Woman 1492 Leonardo da Vinci - Studies of a Dog's Paw 1490-1495
Matched Couple 1490 Portrait of an Unknown Woman. La Belle Ferroniere 1490 Study of a woman's head 1490 Study of horses 1490 Study of proportion 1490 The proportions of the head 1490 Head of a Man in Profile Facing to the Left 1490-1494 Coition of a Hemisected Man and Woman 1492 Studies of a Dog's Paw 1490-1495
Leonardo da Vinci - Study of the Graduations of Shadows on Spheres 1492 Leonardo da Vinci - The proportions of the human figure. The Vitruvian Man 1492 Leonardo da Vinci - Double manuscript page on the Sforza monument. Casting mold of the head and neck 1493 Leonardo da Vinci - Manuscript page on the Sforza monument 1493 Leonardo da Vinci - Study for the Last Supper 1494 Leonardo da Vinci - Study for the Last Supper 1494 Leonardo da Vinci - Study of five grotesque heads 1494 Leonardo da Vinci - Canal bridge 1495 Leonardo da Vinci - Head of Christ 1495
Study of the Graduations of Shadows on Spheres 1492 The proportions of the human figure. The Vitruvian Man 1492 Double manuscript page on the Sforza monument. Casting mold of the head and neck 1493 Manuscript page on the Sforza monument 1493 Study for the Last Supper 1494 Study for the Last Supper 1494 Study of five grotesque heads 1494 Canal bridge 1495 Head of Christ 1495
Leonardo da Vinci - Heads of an old man and a youth 1495 Leonardo da Vinci - Study for the Last Supper 1495 Leonardo da Vinci - Study for the Last Supper, James 1495 Leonardo da Vinci - Study for the Last Supper, Judas 1495 Leonardo da Vinci - The Last Supper 1495 Leonardo da Vinci - Study of an apostle's head and architectural study 1496 Leonardo da Vinci - The Lady with an Ermine, Cecilia Gallerani 1496 Leonardo da Vinci - Profile of a man and study of two riders 1497 Leonardo da Vinci - The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne and Saint John the Baptist 1499
Heads of an old man and a youth 1495 Study for the Last Supper 1495 Study for the Last Supper, James 1495 Study for the Last Supper, Judas 1495 The Last Supper 1495 Study of an apostle's head and architectural study 1496 The Lady with an Ermine, Cecilia Gallerani 1496 Profile of a man and study of two riders 1497 The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne and Saint John the Baptist 1499
Leonardo da Vinci - Birch copse 1500 Leonardo da Vinci - Caricature 1500 Leonardo da Vinci - Caricature 1500 Leonardo da Vinci - Design for a helicopter 1500 Leonardo da Vinci - Design for a machine for grinding convex lenses 1500 Leonardo da Vinci - Design for a parabolic compass 1500 Leonardo da Vinci - Design for an enormous crossbow 1500 Leonardo da Vinci - Drawing of a botanical study 1500 Leonardo da Vinci - Drawing of a fancy dress costume 1500
Birch copse 1500 Caricature 1500 Caricature 1500 Design for a helicopter 1500 Design for a machine for grinding convex lenses 1500 Design for a parabolic compass 1500 Design for an enormous crossbow 1500 Drawing of a botanical study 1500 Drawing of a fancy dress costume 1500
Leonardo da Vinci - Drawing of an equestrian monument 1500 Leonardo da Vinci - Drawing of an flood 1500 Leonardo da Vinci - Drawing of drapery 1500 Leonardo da Vinci - Drawing of lilies, for an Annunciation 1500 Leonardo da Vinci - Drawing of locks on a river 1500 Leonardo da Vinci - Drawing of Salai 1500 Leonardo da Vinci - Drawing of the comparative anatomy of the legs of a man and a dog 1500 Leonardo da Vinci - Drawing of the Torso and the Arms 1500 Leonardo da Vinci - Drawings of a bird in flight 1500
Drawing of an equestrian monument 1500 Drawing of an flood 1500 Drawing of drapery 1500 Drawing of lilies, for an Annunciation 1500 Drawing of locks on a river 1500 Drawing of Salai 1500 Drawing of the comparative anatomy of the legs of a man and a dog 1500 Drawing of the Torso and the Arms 1500 Drawings of a bird in flight 1500
Leonardo da Vinci - Drawings of machines 1500 Leonardo da Vinci - Isabella d'Este 1500 Leonardo da Vinci - Salvator Mundi 1500 Leonardo da Vinci - Storm over a landscape 1500 Leonardo da Vinci - Study of Christ for the Last Supper 1500 Leonardo da Vinci - Topographical drawing of a river valley 1500 Leonardo da Vinci - Study for Madonna with the Yarnwinder 1501 Leonardo da Vinci - Study for St. Anne 1501 Leonardo da Vinci - Madonna with the Yarnwinder 1501-1507
Drawings of machines 1500 Isabella d'Este 1500 Salvator Mundi 1500 Storm over a landscape 1500 Study of Christ for the Last Supper 1500 Topographical drawing of a river valley 1500 Study for Madonna with the Yarnwinder 1501 Study for St. Anne 1501 Madonna with the Yarnwinder 1501-1507
Leonardo da Vinci - A Grotesque Head Grotesque head 1502 Leonardo da Vinci - A plan of Imola 1502 Leonardo da Vinci - Bird's Eye View of a Landscape 1502 Leonardo da Vinci - Landscape near Pisa 1502 Leonardo da Vinci - Galloping Rider and other figure 1503 Leonardo da Vinci - Head of a Man 1503 Leonardo da Vinci - Rearing horse 1503 Leonardo da Vinci - Study of horses for the Battle of Anghiari 1503 Leonardo da Vinci - Study of St Anne, Mary and the Christ Child 1503
A Grotesque Head Grotesque head 1502 A plan of Imola 1502 Bird's Eye View of a Landscape 1502 Landscape near Pisa 1502 Galloping Rider and other figure 1503 Head of a Man 1503 Rearing horse 1503 Study of horses for the Battle of Anghiari 1503 Study of St Anne, Mary and the Christ Child 1503
Leonardo da Vinci - Study of St. Anne, Mary, the Christ Child and the young St. John 1503 Leonardo da Vinci - Battle of Anghiari 1504 Leonardo da Vinci - Group of riders in the Battle of Anghiari 1504 Leonardo da Vinci - Mona Lisa also known as 'La Gioconda'. Portrait of Lisa Gherardini 1504 Leonardo da Vinci - Page from a notebook showing figures fighting on horseback and on foot 1504 Leonardo da Vinci - Studies of Leda and a horse 1504 Leonardo da Vinci - Study of a Figure for the Battle of Anghiari 1504 Leonardo da Vinci - Study of a ride 1504 Leonardo da Vinci - Study of battles on horseback and on foot 1504
Study of St. Anne, Mary, the Christ Child and the young St. John 1503 Battle of Anghiari 1504 Group of riders in the Battle of Anghiari 1504 Mona Lisa also known as 'La Gioconda'. Portrait of Lisa Gherardini 1504 Page from a notebook showing figures fighting on horseback and on foot 1504 Studies of Leda and a horse 1504 Study of a Figure for the Battle of Anghiari 1504 Study of a ride 1504 Study of battles on horseback and on foot 1504
Leonardo da Vinci - Study of battles on horseback 1504 Leonardo da Vinci - Anatomical studies 1505 Leonardo da Vinci - Design for a Flying Machine 1505 Leonardo da Vinci - Head of Leda 1505 Leonardo da Vinci - Old man with ivy wreath and lion's head 1505 Leonardo da Vinci - Profile of an old man 1505 Leonardo da Vinci - Studies for the heads of two soldiers in 'The Battle of Anghiari' 1505 Leonardo da Vinci - Study of David by Michelangelo 1505 Leonardo da Vinci - Study of horses 1505
Study of battles on horseback 1504 Anatomical studies 1505 Design for a Flying Machine 1505 Head of Leda 1505 Old man with ivy wreath and lion's head 1505 Profile of an old man 1505 Studies for the heads of two soldiers in 'The Battle of Anghiari' 1505 Study of David by Michelangelo 1505 Study of horses 1505
Leonardo da Vinci - The anatomy of a male nude and a battle scene 1505 Leonardo da Vinci - Leda and the Swan 1506 Leonardo da Vinci - Stof Bethlehem and other plants 1506 Leonardo da Vinci - Studies of legs of man and the leg of a horse 1506 Leonardo da Vinci - Study for the Head of Leda 1506 Leonardo da Vinci - Study for the Kneeling Leda 1506 Leonardo da Vinci - The Virgin of the Rocks 1506 Leonardo da Vinci - Study for the Burlington House Cartoon. The Virgin and Child with St. Anne and St. John the Baptist 1507 Leonardo da Vinci - Drawing of the uterus of a pregnant cow 1508
The anatomy of a male nude and a battle scene 1505 Leda and the Swan 1506 Stof Bethlehem and other plants 1506 Studies of legs of man and the leg of a horse 1506 Study for the Head of Leda 1506 Study for the Kneeling Leda 1506 The Virgin of the Rocks 1506 Study for the Burlington House Cartoon. The Virgin and Child with St. Anne and St. John the Baptist 1507 Drawing of the uterus of a pregnant cow 1508
Leonardo da Vinci - Head of a Young Woman with Tousled Hair. Leda 1508 Leonardo da Vinci - Studies of Water passing Obstacles and falling 1508 Leonardo da Vinci - Study of a child 1508 Leonardo da Vinci - Anatomical studies of a male shoulder 1509 Leonardo da Vinci - A seated man, and studies and notes on the movement of water 1510 Leonardo da Vinci - Anatomical studies, larynx and leg 1510 Leonardo da Vinci - Head of Saint Anne 1510 Leonardo da Vinci - Leda 1510 Leonardo da Vinci - Leda 1510
Head of a Young Woman with Tousled Hair. Leda 1508 Studies of Water passing Obstacles and falling 1508 Study of a child 1508 Anatomical studies of a male shoulder 1509 A seated man, and studies and notes on the movement of water 1510 Anatomical studies, larynx and leg 1510 Head of Saint Anne 1510 Leda 1510 Leda 1510
Leonardo da Vinci - Leda and the Swan 1510 Leonardo da Vinci - Madonna with the Yarnwinder. The Lansdowne Madonna 1510 Leonardo da Vinci - Seated old man 1510 Leonardo da Vinci - Studies of water 1510 Leonardo da Vinci - Study for Madonna and Child with St. Anne 1510 Leonardo da Vinci - Study for St. John in the Wilderness 1510 Leonardo da Vinci - Study for the Trivulzio Equestrian Monument 1510 Leonardo da Vinci - Study for the Trivulzio monument 1510 Leonardo da Vinci - The Virgin and Child with St. Anne 1510
Leda and the Swan 1510 Madonna with the Yarnwinder. The Lansdowne Madonna 1510 Seated old man 1510 Studies of water 1510 Study for Madonna and Child with St. Anne 1510 Study for St. John in the Wilderness 1510 Study for the Trivulzio Equestrian Monument 1510 Study for the Trivulzio monument 1510 The Virgin and Child with St. Anne 1510
Leonardo da Vinci - Anatomical studies of the shoulde 1510-1511 Leonardo da Vinci - John the Baptist.'Bacchus' 1511 Leonardo da Vinci - Portrait of a Bearded Man, possibly a Self Portrait 1513 Leonardo da Vinci - Studies of the foetus in the womb 1513 Leonardo da Vinci - Studies of the Villa Melzi and anatomical study 1513 Leonardo da Vinci - Study of water 1513 Leonardo da Vinci - Study sheet with cats, dragon and other animals 1513 Leonardo da Vinci - Study sheet with horses 1513 Leonardo da Vinci - Anatomy of the Neck 1515
Anatomical studies of the shoulde 1510-1511 John the Baptist.'Bacchus' 1511 Portrait of a Bearded Man, possibly a Self Portrait 1513 Studies of the foetus in the womb 1513 Studies of the Villa Melzi and anatomical study 1513 Study of water 1513 Study sheet with cats, dragon and other animals 1513 Study sheet with horses 1513 Anatomy of the Neck 1515
Leonardo da Vinci - Bird's eye view of sea coast 1515 Leonardo da Vinci - St. John the Baptis 1515 Leonardo da Vinci - Allegory 1516 Leonardo da Vinci - Deluge over a city 1517 Leonardo da Vinci - Equestrian monument 1517 Leonardo da Vinci - Masquerader in the guise of a Prisoner 1517 Leonardo da Vinci - Natural disaster 1517 Leonardo da Vinci - Equestrian Statue 1519 Leonardo da Vinci - Caricature
Bird's eye view of sea coast 1515 St. John the Baptis 1515 Allegory 1516 Deluge over a city 1517 Equestrian monument 1517 Masquerader in the guise of a Prisoner 1517 Natural disaster 1517 Equestrian Statue 1519 Caricature
Leonardo da Vinci - Codex on the flight of birds Leonardo da Vinci - Drapery for a seated figure Leonardo da Vinci - Drapery for a seated figure Leonardo da Vinci - Drawing of a Woman's Torso Leonardo da Vinci - Female Head Leonardo da Vinci - Head of Christ Leonardo da Vinci - Head of St. Andrew Leonardo da Vinci - Head of St. James the Less Leonardo da Vinci - Head of St. John the Evangelist
Codex on the flight of birds Drapery for a seated figure Drapery for a seated figure Drawing of a Woman's Torso Female Head Head of Christ Head of St. Andrew Head of St. James the Less Head of St. John the Evangelist
Leonardo da Vinci - Head of St. Peter Leonardo da Vinci - Heads of Judas and Peter Leonardo da Vinci - Heads of Sts Thomas and James the Greater Leonardo da Vinci - Heart and its Blood Vessels Leonardo da Vinci - Sedge Leonardo da Vinci - Spring Device Leonardo da Vinci - Studies for a Nativity 1480-1485 Leonardo da Vinci - Studies of crabs Leonardo da Vinci - Studies of the Arm showing the Movements made by the Biceps
Head of St. Peter Heads of Judas and Peter Heads of Sts Thomas and James the Greater Heart and its Blood Vessels Sedge Spring Device Studies for a Nativity 1480-1485 Studies of crabs Studies of the Arm showing the Movements made by the Biceps
Leonardo da Vinci - Study of an Old Man Leonardo da Vinci - Study of Arms and Hands, a sketch by da Vinci popularly considered to be a preliminary study for the painting 'Lady with an Ermine' Leonardo da Vinci - Study on the proportions of head and eyes Leonardo da Vinci - Various figure studies Leonardo da Vinci - Views of a Foetus in the Womb
Study of an Old Man Study of Arms and Hands, a sketch by da Vinci popularly considered to be a preliminary study for the painting 'Lady with an Ermine' Study on the proportions of head and eyes Various figure studies Views of a Foetus in the Womb