Leonardo da Vinci: Paintings Trivia Quiz

Answer: Background

The "Baptism of Christ", typically credited to both Leonardo and Verrocchio, is believed to be the first painting in which Leonardo was allowed to paint an entire figure in his master's workshop. It is said that Verrocchio was not a very prolific painter, and preferred instead to sculpt and do bronze castings. Legend says that when he saw Leonardo's angel, the one on the left, next to his, Verrocchio never painted again. It isn't just the angel, however, that is attributed to Leonardo. The background in the picture is very similar to the landscape in later pictures, such as "Virgin and Child with St. Anne" and "Mona Lisa"; some believe that Leonardo painted the figure of Christ as well.

This picture may be viewed today at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence.

Answer: The study of the angel's sleeve is found in Leonardo's sketches.

Although this "Annunciation" was painted while Leonardo was still an apprentice in Verrocchio's studio, it is considered to be the first painting wholly completed by Leonardo c1472. Much of its "awkwardness" is possibly due to the fact that it has been retouched by later artists. If the study of the angel's sleeve that was found in Leonardo's sketches isn't enough proof that the young Leonardo painted the picture, just look at the background of the picture and the draperies on the figures. They are very similar in appearance to the work that he did on the "Baptism of Christ". There is no information available about the commission Leonardo was given to do the work.

Today this artwork may be viewed at the Uffizi. It arrived there in 1867 after being owned by a convent in Florence.

Answer: It is Leonardo's first commissioned portrait.

Leonardo probably began working on the portrait when he was twenty-two years old. It is believed the portrait was commissioned to celebrate the marriage of Ginevra to Luigi di Bernardo Niccolini when she was sixteen years old. A Florentine aristocrat, Ginevra was considered to be a lovely women, and was very popular with the Medici and their friends; it is believed that together they wrote approximately ten poems in her honor. The bottom portion of the painting, showing her arms and hands, was removed from the portrait at some time in the past.

The only Leonardo painting that is currently in the America's, "Ginevra de'Benci" can be seen at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.

Answer: The ermine was the symbol of the patron.

Leonardo left Florence in 1482, hoping to find a patron in Ludovico Sforza, the Duke of Milan. Ludovico asked Leonardo to arrange pageants and make a great statue in honor of his father, which was called "The Horse". The "Lady with an Ermine" was the first portrait commissioned there, and is one of only four portraits of women that it is known Leonardo painted. Cecilia Gallerani was the mistress of the Duke of Milan; he had been in the Order of the Ermine, a chivalric order, and the fact that Cecilia is holding an ermine is believed to be a reference to that, although there are other theories as well.

The portrait is on display at the Czartoryski Museum in Kraków, Poland.

Answer: Leonardo painted two versions of the picture.

Also called the "Virgin of the Rocks", for reasons unknown, Leonardo painted two versions of the picture. The one that is considered the "prime version", in the picture, is in the Louvre, Paris, today, and thought to be the earliest one, done with brighter colors. There are many subtle differences between the paintings, but the most obvious would have to be the angel's gaze and placement of its right hand. It is theorized that while Leonardo was commissioned to do this painting by the Confraternity of the Immaculate Conception, he instead sold it, having to complete a second one to fulfill the commission.

The second painting was eventually sold by the Church and was purchased by Gavin Hamilton in approximately 1785, who brought it to England. Today it may be viewed in the National Gallery in London.

Answer: Madonna

The term "Madonna" has been used since medieval times in reference to an image of the Virgin Mary. In this picture she is sitting on the lap of St. Anne, her mother, while attempting to hold the Christ Child back from his destiny, the Passion, as symbolized by the lamb. Leonardo appears to have painted several Madonnas during his career, including the "Virgin with Flowers, "Litta Madonna", and the "Benois Madonna", and many preparatory sketches have been found for pictures that were never completed as paintings.

This Madonna can be seen at the Louvre in Paris today.

Answer: Sali, his student

Gian Giacomo de'Caprotti became Leonardo's apprentice when he was ten years old. Leonardo called him "Sali", or little Satan. Sali came from a poor family, and even though Leonardo provided food and clothing for him, he apparently stole whatever he could get his hands on. It was written that at a supper with one of Leonardo's associates, "Giacomo supped for two, did mischief for four, for he broke three cruets, and spilled the wine". Sali stayed in Leonardo's household for at least twenty-five years; upon the death of his master, Sali received several paintings, including the "Mona Lisa".

"St. John the Baptist" is displayed today at the Louvre in Paris.

Answer: True

At one time it was believed that "Portrait of a Musician", c.1485, was a picture of Franchinus Gaffurius, who was a close friend of Leonardo's while he was living in Milan. Gaffurius was the "maestro di cappella" of the Milanese Cathedral, which means he was the person in charge of the orchestra. Some believe that the face in the portrait is very similar to one of the angels in "Madonna of the Rocks", while others say it is a self-portrait. Whatever the case, Leonardo did not complete the painting. After he finished the face, it is believed that someone else painted the hat, tunic, and hair.

Today the picture may be viewed in the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana in Milan.

Answer: Mural

Leonardo did not enjoy painting frescoes; the artist had to commit to how much he was going to paint each day by how much plaster was placed on the wall, plus he had to work fast. After the plaster dried, the paint could not be retouched, and it is well-known that Leonardo continued to work on some of his creations for quite a long while. When he was commissioned to work on the wall of the Sforza family mausoleum, he decided to try a different technique. He sealed the wall with plaster and allowed it to dry. Then he used an undercoating of white lead, which was to bring out the colors of the oil and tempera paints he planned to use. The paint began to peel away from the wall almost as soon as Leonardo declared the work finished.

Throughout the years, the painting has been cleaned and retouched several times. Very little of the original work can be seen at Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan.

Answer: Leonardo took it there when invited to live in the court of Francis I.

Leonardo spent the last years of his life living in France, after having been invited there by Francis I. It is believed that Leonardo took the portrait there and continued to work on it; if that is the case, Francesco del Giocondo never received his wife's portrait.

When Leonardo died, it was inherited by his student, Sali, who sold it to Francis I. The painting was kept at the Palace of Fontainebleau until Louis XIV moved it to the Palace of Versailles. After the French Revolution "Mona Lisa" was placed in the Louvre, although it is said that Napoleon kept the picture in his bedroom at the Tuileries Palace. During WWII it was moved to a variety of locations away from Paris for safekeeping.