Benois Madonna [SEP] inception
Benois Madonna
Madonna and Child with Flowers, otherwise known as the Benois Madonna, could be one of two Madonnas Leonardo da Vinci had commented on having started in October 1478. The other one could be "Madonna of the Carnation" from Munich.
It is likely that the "Benois Madonna" was the first work painted by Leonardo independently from his master Verrocchio. There are two of Leonardo's preliminary sketches for this piece in the British Museum, although the painting was probably overpainted by other hands. The preliminary sketches
known as Nadia, was a painter and ballet designer of French, German, Italian and Russian descent. Her father, Leon Benois, was an Imperial Russian architect and owner of Leonardo da Vinci's painting "Madonna Benois". Leon's brother Alexandre Benois was a stage designer who worked with Stravinsky and Diaghilev. Their paternal ancestor Jules-César Benois was a chef who had left France for St. Petersburg during the French Revolution and became a chef to Emperor Paul I of Russia.
Jona (or Iona) worked as