New Leonardo picture discovered

BBC News ^ | Friday, 1 July, 2005

[new cruelty]

A new picture by Leonardo da Vinci has been discovered, the National Gallery in London has said. It said experts using infra-red techniques found a drawing under the surface of the Virgin of the Rocks painting which hangs at the gallery.

It believes the drawing shows a woman kneeling with one arm stretched out.

Experts believe the Italian Renaissance painter was planning a picture of an adoration of the child Christ but abandoned the idea.

Leonardo was commissioned to paint the Virgin of the Rocks to decorate an altarpiece in a chapel in Milan in 1483.

The artist appears to have painted two versions.

One, which now hangs in the Louvre, was probably sold to a private client, says BBC arts correspondent Rebecca Jones.

Experts think Leonardo da Vinci was probably planning a picture of an adoration of the Christ child

The BBC's Rebecca Jones

The other, which hangs in the National Gallery, was placed in the chapel in 1508.

It is under this painting that experts believe they have found a drawing of a kneeling woman.

She is pictured with her eyes downcast and one of her hands stretched out.

Experts think Leonardo da Vinci was probably planning a picture of an adoration of the Christ child, but abandoned the idea before drawing Jesus as a baby, our correspondent says.

However, why he painted over the work may never be known, she adds.

Milan arrival

The Virgin of the Rocks was the first painting executed by Leonardo after his arrival in Milan.

Critics have argued over exactly what the painting depicts.

Some claim it shows the Immaculate Conception, while others believe it recalls the moment when the infant Christ met St John the Baptist.

Leonardo painted the Mona Lisa, considered to be among the world's most famous paintings.

His other masterpieces include the Last Supper and Adoration of the Magi.

[sharktrager]

And here I thought maybe DiCaprio had a secret film hidden away.

Damned If I Know

[monkapotamus]

[DGray]

If you're referring to The DaVinci Code, I agree it's trash, but it's a work of fiction and you really shouldn't let it undermine your enjoyment or understanding of one of the most brilliant men who ever lived. His devotional artworks are unrivalled masterpieces.

[marty60]

Actually I love his art work. It just seems so .... I can't think of the word to use. When people start drawing lines and concocting intire plots out of them. shoot I could do that with my tree in the back yard.

[RckyRaCoCo]

LOL!

[Graymatter]

It wasn't a shortage of canvases that made him paint over it. This painting was on wood.
Besides, I don't believe any shortage of canvases was so severe that Leonardo was affected.

[Thinkin' Gal]

My favorite Leonardo picture...

Haha, don't forget to wave "Buh-Bye!"

[Ditter]

I did not mean to imply that there was a shortage of canvas fabric in Leonardos time. I used the term canvas, to mean his painting surface. What ever he painted on, canvas on stretchers, canvas glued to a board or a wood panel, it had to be made by him or someone. If a painting doesn't work out, most artists will use their 'painting surface' over again by painting over it. The fact that this author made a mystery out of it was dumb.

[Republicanprofessor]

Art Ping.

Let Sam Cree or me know if you want on or off the art ping list.

Artists paint over images allt he time. I think the more fascinating question is between the two Virgin of the Rock paintings: one in London, one at the Louvre. Why do two similar images, and does this question relate to why he painted over the other drawing underneath.

Trust a professor to take all this too seriously.

[AnAmericanMother]

He probably had a client who liked the brighter colors and flesh tones (and wanted halos on the Saints.)

< g >

[AnAmericanMother]

It's not a shortage, per se . . . they get tired of looking at the unfinished stuff that didn't work out for some reason (not to mention a prospective client might see it), and they get an order in the door, so they paint over the work-in-progress. Voila! two problems solved.

[LexBaird]

My theory? He had a client who saw the first work and offered him money to make a copy. Leo then said, "Sure. I got this other primed panel with nothing but a sketch on it. I'll just paint over it with a composition I already worked out, and turn a few quick ducats."

[Republicanprofessor]

Not a bad theory. Now, to prove it, you'd have to read his journals, with his backwards writing in Italian, and interpret it correctly, and back it up with visuals, and present it at a conference or publish it through a refereed journal or...

Just propose a theory on FR. I like that system the best, and, you know what, I think more people read it and care than about the scholarly *$&#.

[dfwgator]

New Leonardo picture discovered

As if Titanic wasn't bad enough.

[I'm ALL Right!]

I'm amazed at how so many people are willing to abandon the centuries and centuries old Bible to accept the 3 year old fictional DaVinci code! They accept it as "gospel" just because Mr. Browne says it's all true. Mr. Browne even got DATES wrong (which would have been easily researched and verified, if he really wanted to DO research.) Unbelievable ignorance.

[des]

And it matched the couch.

[AnAmericanMother]

Don't forget the carpet!

[fatima]

Your are going to torture me all night but my friend Coleus I plan to go to bed in 5 minutes-Ha