LEONARDO DA VINCI 1452-1519

Leonardo da VINCI Vinci, 1452–Amboise, 1519 Saint John the Baptist Oil on walnut panel About 1508–1519 John the Baptist, the Precursor of Christ, is depicted as a man of ideal beauty who still has something of the purity of youth. He is portrayed against a background of darkness, his upward-pointing finger denoting the coming of Christ in accordance with the Prologue to the Gospel of John: There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. Department of Paintings, Musée du Louvre, Paris, inv 775 Infrared reflectogram of Saint John the Baptist by Leonardo da Vinci Oil on walnut panel. About 1508–1519 Musée du Louvre, Paris The reflectogram of Saint John the Baptist shows the extraordinary finesse of the preparatory drawing. Some pentimenti (alterations) are visible, including a change to the left arm and a lock of hair added to the forehead.The left arm and raised right arm feature rather harsh transitions between shadow and light, suggesting that those parts of the painting were never finished. © C2RMF / Elsa Lambert 175 176