Cleaning reveals da Vinci masterpiece
Source: Agencies |
July 15, 2010, Thursday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
AN 18-month project to restore Leonardo da Vinci's "Virgin of the Rocks" revealed the Renaissance artist likely painted the entire work himself rather than, as previously thought, with the help of his assistants.
The painting, a later version of one on display in the Louvre in Paris, also appears to have never been fully finished, according to the conservation team at Britain's National Gallery where the work went on display yesterday.
The cleaning process revealed details hidden under a coat of varnish applied in 1948-9 and since badly degraded, which had reduced the picture's subtle shading, particularly in darker areas.
The conservation work and study of materials and techniques showed different parts of the painting reached different stages of completion, the gallery said, with the angel's hand barely sketched while the heads of the main figures appear completely finished.
"In the past, gallery curators, like many scholars of Renaissance painting elsewhere, have explained the different levels of finish and resolution in the picture by arguing that Leonardo was helped by assistants," the gallery said.
"It now seems possible that Leonardo painted all the picture himself, leaving some parts just sketched or yet to be completely resolved, and others fully worked up."
In 2005, experts using infrared technology discovered two distinct underdrawings beneath the surface of the painting, bought by the National Gallery in 1880. The painting, dating from about 1491 to 1508, has a new frame using part of a 15th-century Italian frame.
The painting, a later version of one on display in the Louvre in Paris, also appears to have never been fully finished, according to the conservation team at Britain's National Gallery where the work went on display yesterday.
The cleaning process revealed details hidden under a coat of varnish applied in 1948-9 and since badly degraded, which had reduced the picture's subtle shading, particularly in darker areas.
The conservation work and study of materials and techniques showed different parts of the painting reached different stages of completion, the gallery said, with the angel's hand barely sketched while the heads of the main figures appear completely finished.
"In the past, gallery curators, like many scholars of Renaissance painting elsewhere, have explained the different levels of finish and resolution in the picture by arguing that Leonardo was helped by assistants," the gallery said.
"It now seems possible that Leonardo painted all the picture himself, leaving some parts just sketched or yet to be completely resolved, and others fully worked up."
In 2005, experts using infrared technology discovered two distinct underdrawings beneath the surface of the painting, bought by the National Gallery in 1880. The painting, dating from about 1491 to 1508, has a new frame using part of a 15th-century Italian frame.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
