Hidden sketch and handprints discovered beneath 500-year-old masterpiece by Da Vinci
A hidden sketch was found beneath the painting by Leonardo da Vinci (photo: collage by RBC-Ukraine)
A series of sketches and handprints by the brilliant artist Leonardo da Vinci have been discovered beneath a 500-year-old painting. It turns out that da Vinci initially created a sketch, abandoned the painting, and later completed the final artwork that has captivated audiences for centuries.
Details about this remarkable painting and the discovery of the sketches are explored, according to All that’s Interesting.
The text refers to the painting "The Virgin of the Rocks" by Leonardo da Vinci, which is displayed in the National Gallery in London. Scientific analysis revealed that an initial sketch of the angel and the infant Jesus was made underneath the painting. This sketch, along with handprints where the artist or his assistant applied paint to the canvas, was found beneath the artwork.
The angle of the head of the infant Jesus was altered so that he could be seen in profile and some parts of the angel's curly hair were removed.
"In the abandoned composition both figures are positioned higher up, while the angel, facing out, is looking down on the Infant Christ with what appears to be a much tighter embrace," the gallery explained.
"Virgin of the Rocks" by Leonardo da Vinci in London (photo: Getty Images)
These images were discovered because the drawings were made with a material that contained a certain amount of zinc. Macro X-ray fluorescence maps revealed where this chemical element was present. The sketches were also visible through new infrared radiation and hyperspectral imaging.
Although the brushstrokes were covered by numerous layers of paint and thus were invisible in the visible spectrum, they were not hidden from infrared light. Meanwhile, XRF scanning highlighted useful individual elements when exposed to X-ray light.
The finished painting (left) and Leonardo's hidden sketches are depicted on the canvas (right) (photo: London National Gallery)
Hyperspectral imaging, which reveals the electromagnetic energy emitted by an object across various spectra, allowed for the observation of finer details that remained. This technique enabled the detection of nuances that could not be revealed in any single spectrum.
The scene depicted in the painting, which shows the Virgin Mary, Baby Jesus, and an infant Saint John the Baptist, is the second version created by da Vinci. He sold the first version (dated around 1483) to a private client, and it is currently displayed in the Louvre.
There are two versions of the painting, referred to as the Paris version (1483–1486) (left) and the London version (1495–1508) (right). The hair of the two infants was noticeably changed between the versions, as well as the colors (photo: Wikimedia Commons)
The sale occurred during a dispute with the church, which sought to own the painting. The underlying drawing found here differs significantly from the original. The final version is much closer to the original - and was eventually sold to the church.
"This second version is no mere reproduction, however. Along with significant adjustments to the figures, he also uses this version to explore new kinds of lighting effects based on his own research into optics and the physiology of human vision," the gallery emphasized.
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