Leonardo at the Queen's Palace... (Part II)

5:57 p.m.

21/06/19 - In this second post about our tour around the exhibition "Leonardo Da Vinci A Life in Drawing", we'll focus on the preparatory drawings of three main artworks: The Madonna of the Yarnwinder, Salvatori Mundi and the Mona Lisa.

The bust of the Madonna, by Leonardo da Vinci (c.1500)

Technique: red chalk over metalpoint on pale red prepared paper

The three paintings are surrounded by mystery. The Madonna of the Yarnwinder, for example, is believed to be lost. There are three copies of it, one belonging to the Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry, on loan at the National Gallery of Scotland (Edinburgh). Of this artwork, the exhibition displays a sketch studying the lights and shadows on the Virgin's torso, which were later used in the final painting.

The drapery of a sleeve, by Leonardo da Vinci (c1504-8)

Technique: red chalk, touches of black and White chalks, on orange-red prepared paper.

Of Salvatori Mundi, the most expensive artwork (its whereabouts are currently unknown), there's a drawing of the drapery of the right hand's sleeve. There's still doubts about Leonardo being the author of this painting. Many different sources refer to it as painted by Leonardo's atelier, although Wikipedia (updated a few weeks ago) states Leonardo Da Vinci as author. Is this why the Arab Prince is not willing to show it? If the artwork was painted by Leonardo's disciples, the piece will lose its value.

There are no drawings of the Mona Lisa. It is strange that the artist made no sketches of this painting, his most popular one. Maybe he thought they weren't necessary, since it was a family portrait and not an official image. Maybe he did draw some sketches and they were lost or didn't make it to the album bequeathed to Leonardo's disciple. The first art historian, Giorgio Vasari, described the artist as unpredictable and unstable, so it's impossible to know for sure, which increases the mystery around him.