Leonardo da Vinci Artwork Study Notes

Leonardo da Vinci: Artwork Study Notes - Flashcards

• Baptism of Christ (c. 1470)*
• Date: c. 1470
• Location: Uffizi Gallery, Florence
• Patron: Likely Verrocchio's, but da Vinci's contribution is significant
• Attributes:
  • Primarily by Verrocchio, with da Vinci's distinct style evident in one angel.
  • Christ is central, with hands of God above.
  • Innovative use of oil paints and notable for its large size.
  • Verrocchio's style is evident (especially on the right angel).
  • Da Vinci introduced novel techniques; this marks a moment of great experimentation in paint technique.
• Drapery for a Seated Figure (1470)*
• Date: 1470
• Location: Louvre Museum, Paris
• Patron: Unknown
• Attributes:
  • Study of drapery, light, and form.
  • Utilized gesso on linen.
  • Helped shape subsequent draped figures in other works.
  • Represents da Vinci's scientific approach to artistic representation.
  • Shows advanced understanding of human anatomy.
  • Key influence on da Vinci's future works.
• Annunciation (c. 1472-75)*
• Date: c. 1472-75
• Location: Uffizi Gallery, Florence
• Patron: Possibly San Bartolomeo Monastery, or a private commission
• Attributes:
  • Early work showing both Verrocchio's and da Vinci's collaborations.
  • Detailed depiction of an enclosed garden setting.
  • Virgin Mary in a classical pose.
  • Demonstration of sfumato (hazy, smoky effect) to convey atmosphere.
  • Shows da Vinci's independent style emerging through landscape and composition, contrasted to Verrocchio's detailed figure work.
• Ginevra de' Benci (c. 1474)*
• Date: c. 1474
• Location: National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.
• Patron: Unknown, possible connection to Bernardo Bembo
• Attributes:
  • Early female portrait, showcasing the sitter directly facing the viewer.
  • Renaissance beauty ideals are exemplified, a naturalistic style, unadorned.
  • Unique for a woman's perspective reflecting the viewer and environment.
  • Juniper bush, symbolizing chastity and the sitter's name.
  • Use of sfumato for the landscape and figure.
  • Emblem of laurel and palm symbolize intellectual love or poetic achievement on the back.
• Study of Hands (1474)*
• Date: 1474
• Location: Royal Collection, Windsor Castle
• Patron: Unknown
• Attributes:
  • Preparatory work for a lost painting.
  • Realistic and expressive hands, exhibiting Verrocchio's influence.
  • A study of human form; important for the time.
  • Demonstrates Renaissance ideals of realistic imagery in sculpture.
  • A study of natural forms and compositions.
• Madonna of the Carnation (c. 1476)*
• Date: c. 1476
• Location: Alte Pinakothek, Munich
• Patron: Unknown
• Attributes:
  • Shows movement away from Verrocchio's style, toward Flemish influences.
  • Depicts a domestic interior (deeply shaded).
  • Carnation, symbolizing love but also the Virgin Mary's purity.
  • Shows da Vinci's developing mastery of oil and sfumato.
  • Experimentation with form and color contrasts, showcasing an evolution in da Vinci's technique, moving from the flatness of earlier works
  • Still shows earlier style in the Virgin Mary's face.
• Benois Madonna (c. 1478)*
• Date: c. 1478
• Location: Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg
• Patron: Unknown, likely a private commission
• Attributes:
  • More joyful and direct than earlier Madonnas.
  • Showing a greater dynamism inherent in the composition.
  • More dynamic composition and more cheerful sentimentality.
  • Emphasizes direct and intimate expression in the figure.
  • Shows continuation in the use of glazing.
  • 2, 4 petaled white flowers replace the carnation.
• Hanging of Bernardo Baroncelli (1479)*
• Date: 1479
• Location: Musée Bonnat, Bayonne
• Patron: Unknown
• Attributes:
  • Illustrates a historical event (Pazzi Conspiracy).
  • Focuses on human anatomy and emotional expression of figures.
  • Shows da Vinci's interest in the drama of human emotion for a historical narrative.
• Adoration of the Magi (c. 1481)*
• Date: c. 1481
• Location: Uffizi Gallery, Florence
• Patron: Monastery of San Donato
• Attributes:
  • First major commission; a large-scale composition.
  • Depicts the Magi with a psychological depth.
  • Shows detailed representation of human emotions.
  • Includes classical ruins and far-reaching landscape.
  • A study of human emotions (the “affetti”).
  • Unfinished, likely due to its ambition.
• (and so on for the remaining artworks...too many to list here, as flashcards are designed for individual facts about each artwork)*