Processing
The work is executed in oil-on-board pictography ‘Retouch’ category, following the typical methods and recipes of Renaissance workshops.
The work is executed with Maimeri and Winsor & Newton and Schmincke colours. The details are executed with the aid of a special magnifying glass in order to recreate every smallest detail exactly.
Solid wood board prepared with a mix of plaster and natural glue applied in several coats. Solid wood frame with carved decorations prepared with red bole, gilded with gold leaf. Size of picture with frame: 61x46 cm.
History
This work is an enigmatic masterpiece by the artist. Probably commissioned by Louis XII of France in 1501 to celebrate the birth of his daughter, the work remained unfinished. Leonardo depicts St Anne, mother of Mary, gazing sweetly at the Virgin as she holds the baby Jesus, intent on playing with a lamb, symbol of his future sacrifice. The intertwining of the figures creates a sinuous movement, emphasised by Leonardo's famous sfumato. The painting fascinated Freud, who saw in it a hidden meaning linked to the artist's childhood. Moreover, Leonardo carried the cartoon with him for years, a sign of an ever-evolving idea.
Leonardo, St Anne, the Virgin and Child with the Little Lamb