Mysterious ‘secret drawings’ by Leonardo da Vinci found hidden beneath famous painting
DRAWINGS made by Leonardo da Vinci underneath one of his most popular paintings have been revealed.
Scribbles from the Renaissance master were found buried underneath his 16th Century work The Virgin Of The Rocks.
It uncovered Leonardo’s initial designs for the angel and the infant Christ, with “significant differences to how they look in the finished painting”, experts said.
The National Gallery in London – which is preparing an “immersive exploration” of work by the Renaissance master – has undertaken scientific research into The Virgin Of The Rocks.
Experts spent months using imaging techniques on the “abandoned” 1508 composition.
“Both figures are positioned higher up in the drawing, while the angel, facing out, is looking down on the infant Christ with what appears to be a much tighter embrace,” the National Gallery said.
“Why Leonardo abandoned this first composition still remains a mystery.
“Handprints resulting from patting down the priming on the panel to create an even layer of more or less uniform thickness can also be seen, probably the work of an assistant – but perhaps even by Leonardo himself.”
The drawings were made in a material containing some zinc, so could be seen in macro X-ray fluorescence (MA-XRF) maps, and with infrared and hyperspectral imaging.
It comes as the National Gallery announces an “immersive exploration of da Vinci’s genius as a painter, focusing on The Virgin Of The Rocks.
Its ground-floor galleries “will be completely transformed into a space that investigates this painting and the inventive mind that created it”.
There will be “multi-sensory experiences” in four rooms, including a chapel-like environment to see what its setting may have looked like.
The experience has been created with 59 Productions, which worked on the V&A’s David Bowie exhibition.
National Gallery director Dr Gabriele Finaldi said: “This exhibition combines the most recent technical research on The Virgin Of The Rocks with an immersive, enveloping experience.
Who was Leonardo da Vinci?
Here's what you need to know...
- Leonardo da Vinci was an Italian artist and inventor who lived in Renassiance Italy
- He was born on 14/15 April 1452, and died at the age of 67 on May 2, 1519
- The iconic figure is often dubbed a “polymath”, because he excelled at so many fields, including drawing, painting, sculpting, science, music, mathematics, engineering, astronomy, botany, writing and history
- Da Vinci is widely considered to be one of the greatest artists of all time
- He has also been branded as the father of various fields, including palaeontology, ichnology (the study of trace fossils) and architecture
- Several inventions are also credited to da Vinci, including the parachute, helicopter and tank
- Da Vinci was described as having an “uenquenchable curiosity” and a “feverishly inventive imagination”
- His most famous work is the Mona Lisa, which has been on permanent display at the Louvre Museum in Paris since 1797
- He also created The Last Supper, which is the most reproduced religious painting of all time
- His painting Salvator Mundi was sold at auction for $450.3million (£355.4million) in November 2017
- The sale to Prince Badr bin Abdullah set a new record for the most expensive painting ever sold at a public auction
- Da Vinci is believed to have died of a stroke at the manor house Clos Lucé in France in 1519
“It gives visitors the opportunity to explore Leonardo da Vinci’s creative process in making this masterpiece.”
Richard Slaney, managing director of 59 Productions, said: “By focusing on this single artwork, the experience will introduce visitors to this great painting through the bold techniques and innovative approach of Leonardo, making it feel reinvigorated and newly relevant for contemporary audiences.”
In May, a sketch of a bearded man, owned by the Royal Collection, was “identified” as Leonardo da Vinci.
Researchers discovered in 2005 that the Virgin’s pose had been changed in The Virgin Of The Rocks.
Leonardo: Experience A Masterpiece opens on November 9 2019 and runs until January 12 2020.
In other news, Leonardo was “diagnosed” with ADHD in May, 500 years after his death.
Another major historical secret was recently unlocked: A Bristol academic claims to have finally decoded the Voynich manuscript, the “world’s most mysterious text”.
The Voynich manuscript isn’t the only document baffling experts – archaeologists are trying to unlock the secrets of the Dead Sea “copper scroll” to uncover lost treasure.
What do you think of Leo’s sketches? Let us know in the comments!
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