BREAKING NEWS: Christ was probably painted by Leonardo as well. It's been staring us in the face for over 500 years!
Leonardo's very first known artwork, a sketch of the Arno river valley around Florence,
depicts the movement of the wind in the trees.
Leonardo sketched more Madonna and Child than any other subject. Here are studies for a work never begun:
The Madonna of the Cat.
The hanging of the murderer Bernardo di Bandino, who partook in The Pazzi conspiracy.
To call “The Adoration of The Magi” influential is an understatement.
Even though unfinished, it drew round the block lines in Florence when it went on display.
This is a sketch for the background of “The Adoration of The Magi.”
Many artists were permitted to see and revel in its pyramidal structure,
which would be emulated time and time again throughout The Renaissance.
Beyond that, look at the kings and other worshipers. They look downright scared.
They approach the child with a fearful reluctance.
Here are studies for “Leda and The Swan.”
This is a portrait of Beatrice d'Este, wife of Ludovico Sforza, Duke of Milan and Leonardo’s patron.
A flying machine.
The Tempest gives was to his most famous drawing:
The "Vitruvian Man," a study on the proportions of the human body.
NASA even used a version of it as a patch on astronauts’ spacesuits.
Was supposed to be a monumental fresco in The Hall of the 500, in The Palazzo Veccchio in Florence.
Leonardo used the first of his “advanced” fresco techniques and it started melting as soon as it was finished.
Vasari built a wall over it, leaving it in an untouched chamber. One of the flags on his fresco states; “Seek and find.”
is a favorite of mine and depicts The Virgin as young as she was likely to be.
Is yet another unfinished painting by the master.
Why is this here? I have no idea.
Lucrezia Crivelli was Ludovico Sforza's mistress and is thought to be the subject of this painting.
Look at St. Anne. It is said that artists only paint themselves.
You see Leonardo’s likeness in many of his art works.
The "Musician" is called so because he holds musical notations.
This unfinished portrait of a woman has disheveled hair (hence its nickname, scapigliata).
Leonardo painted the "Virgin of the Rocks," twice after the first version was rejected by its commissioners,
due to the angel ostensibly pointing his finger at St. John and looking directly at the viewer.
The Baptist points to heaven.
This is the “de Ganay” copy.
"Salvator Mundi" sold at auction in 2017 for a record $450 million and is believed to be owned by
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman which I was lucky enough to see on display at Christies in New York.
Each day The Mona Lisa gets 30,000 visitors, all willing to queue up in a line that resembles one at airport security.
Yet she keeps on smiling.
Thank you, Maestro!
