LEONARDO DA VINCI 1452-1519

Infrared reflectogram of the Portrait of a Young Man Holding a Musical Score, known as The Musician, by Leonardo da Vinci Oil on walnut panel. About 1483–1490 The reflectogram of The Musician shows the structure of the sitter’s costume, which is very dark in the painting. It also reveals some first ideas, drawn in brushstrokes. It is worth noting that the musical score was painted onto the costume, which suggests that it was not part of the original image and that the sitter may not have been a musician.The allusion to music may have had a symbolic or emblematic meaning. © Veneranda Biblioteca Ambrosiana Leonardo da VINCI Vinci, 1452–Amboise, 1519 Portrait of a Young Man Holding a Musical Score, known as The Musician Oil on walnut panel About 1483–1490 During his first stay in Milan, Leonardo painted at least three portraits with the dark background that corresponded to the Lombard portrait tradition, but he introduced the more natural and dynamic three-quarter pose instead of the usual strict profile view.The identity of this pensive-looking sitter is unknown, but the sheet of music suggests that he was a musician – perhaps Franchino Gaffurio, Josquin des Prez or Atalante Migliorotti. Another possibility is that this unfinished work is a self-portrait of Leonardo. Pinacoteca Ambrosiana, Milan, inv. 99 rdo da Vinci 0 63 0 64