Identifier: leonardodavincia02mn (find matches)
Title: Leonardo da Vinci, artist, thinker and man of science;
Year: 1898 (1890s)
Authors: Müntz, Eugène, 1845-1902
Subjects: Leonardo, da Vinci, 1452-1519
Publisher: London : W. Heinemann New York, C. Scribner's sons
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Internet Archive

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oconda. There is no recognised and authentic female portrait executed by Leonardo in his youth. All we have are a (ç.v^ drawings, and two or three sacred pictures (the authenticity of only one of which, the Virgin of the Rocks, is above discussion), whereby we may guess at the type which then hovered before the eyes of the young beginner. Something vague, indeed, there is about these faces. We shouldfind it hard to discover any of what I will call a well-assimilatedand well-matured type. Both the form of the faces and theirexpressions are still somewhat uncertain. The artists hantl had notas yet the; full commaml of his instruments. If the drawing in the Uffizi Gallery, representing a young womanwith bent head, in profile (see our pi. iii.), and the Atinunciatiofiin the Louvre, with which the said drawing is closely connected,arc really Leonardos work, we see in them some of the masters STUDY FOR THE HEAD OF LEDA. (Windsor Library.) A Study by Raphael from the Mona Lisa (the louvkk.)
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■ir.lcJ by Dracijcr, P. LEONARDOS FEMININ!: TYPE i6i earliest efforts in this particular direction. The heads, like those inthe Annunciation in the Uffizi, are remarkable for their extrememannerism ; the hair is curled and waved with excessive care. There is more decision in the fine drawing of the UffiziGallery : a young woman with long unbound iiair downcasteyes, and lips straight rather than curved, facing the spectator.(Reproduced in colour, plate ii.) In this drawing, as in the Viroin of the Rocks, Leonardo showshis preference for lowand somewhat squarechins. The same pecu-liarity is observable inthe work of BernardinoLuini. At a later period,the artist is careful toround his chins so as tosecure the most perfectoval possible. Following this comesthe type of the youngwoman with dishevelledhair and haggard eyes,examples of which are to be found in the Turin Library, the Windsor Library, and the BonnatCollection. Amongst the drawings for the Adoration of the Alagi we note forthe

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