Painter, sculptor, architect, designer, theorist, engineer and scientist, Leonardo da Vinci created some of the most famous images in European art.
15 years after discovering a hidden drawing beneath Leonardo’s Virgin of the Rocks, we uncover more of the mystery
Leonardo’s mysterious painting shows the Virgin Mary with Saint John the Baptist, Christ’s cousin, and an angel. Leonardo: Experience a Masterpiece
Painter, sculptor, architect, designer, theorist, engineer and scientist, Leonardo da Vinci created some of the most famous images in European art. All kneel to adore the infant Christ, who in turn raises his hand to bless them.
Leonardo's portrait of the wife of a Florentine official, known as the 'Mona Lisa' is famous for its sitter's enigmatic expression.Towards the end of his life, Leonardo was plagued by ill-health and a stroke left him paralysed down the right side of his body. A fantastic range of Leonardo da Vinci merchandise including the most popular da Vinci paintings, books and art gifts all available at the National Gallery.
He was fascinated by the mystery of the face and by the possibility of reading the 'motions of the soul' through facial expressions and gesture. Image: Detail from Nicolas I Larmessin,.Portrait of Leonardo da Vinci. Learn how 'The Virgin of the Rocks’ was painted and discover a lost composition hidden beneath the surface.Image: Detail from an infrared reflectogram of Leonardo da Vinci, ‘The Virgin of the Rocks’, about 1491/2-9 and 1506-8’
Despite this, his notebooks reveal that he was surprisingly active, though it is likely that his assistants carried out most of the physical work. However, his mood deteriorated and he is thought to have been dogged by a persistent and overwhelming sense of pessimism.