An early work, completed when Leonardo was 21, the painting shows an incipient genius and was revolutionary in the history of painting. The sum of US$5 million—an absolute record price at the time—came from the Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund and was paid to the Princely House of Liechtenstein. The Benci had business dealings with the Medici and were noted humanists themselves, patronizing artists and writers and creating an important library of classical texts. [7] The adaptation is based on drawings of hands by Leonardo thought to be studies for this painting. Leonardo da Vinci painted this portrait of Ginevra de' Benci, a young Florentine noblewoman who, at the age of sixteen, married Luigi Niccolini in 1474. Portraitists were expected to enhance—as needed—a woman’s attractiveness according to the period's standards of beauty. It … Leonardo da Vinci died in France on May 2, 1519. Virtue and Beauty: Leonardo's "Ginevra de' Benci" and Renaissance Portraits of Women, the first exhibition on the subject ever organized, surveyed the phenomenal rise of female portraiture in Florence from c. 1440 to c. 1540.On view in the West Building of the National Gallery of Art from 30 September 2001 through 6 January 2002, the exhibition comprises 47 works, some never before seen … Shop affordable wall art to hang in dorms, bedrooms, offices, or anywhere blank walls aren't welcome. The portrait is among his earliest experiments with the new medium of oil paint; some wrinkling of the surface shows he was still learning to control it. His parents never married—his mother, Caterina, was spurned by his father, Ser Piero da Vinci, as she was from a lower social class. Leonardo Da Vinci: A Chinese Scholar Lost in Renaissance Italy. In 1469 Leonardo accompanied his father to Florence to become apprenticed in the workshop of Andrea del Verrocchio, the leading sculptor there. Da Vinci painted the portrait in 1474, when Ginevra de ' Benci was only 16 years old. She also has … Understanding this is crucial to understanding art because if a Renaissance portrait were primarily the equivalent of a Renaissance photograph it would not be art. It may have been he who commissioned her portrait to celebrate—and substitute for—the object of his admiration and esteem. © 2021 National Gallery of Art   Notices   Terms of Use   Privacy Policy, Leonardo da Vinci, Ginevra de' Benci, c. 1474/1478, Wreath of Laurel, Palm, and Juniper with a Scroll inscribed Virtutem Forma Decorat [reverse], Portrait Painting in Florence in the Later 1400s. A striking example of this is the presumed portrait of Ginevra de’ Benci, painted by Leonardo da Vinci in 1474 and today preserved at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. 1. Although a portrait of Ginevra de' Benci by Leonardo is mentioned by three sixteenth-century writers, the attribution of the Washington painting to that artist has been the cause of much debate. The oil-on-wood portrait was acquired by the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. in 1967. Ginevra wears a brown dress with elegant details. Ginevra de’ Benci is a portrait painting by Leonardo da Vinci of the the 15th-century Florentine aristocrat Ginevra de’ Benci (it) (born c. 1458). Palm and laurel also appear in Bembo’s emblem, and infrared examination of the painting’s layers has also revealed Bembo’s motto, Virtus et honor (virtue and honor), painted beneath Ginevra’s scrolling motto which encircles all three elements and means “Beauty adorns virtue.”, May Ginevra shed tears as you go, Bembo. It is now owned by National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC and is currently the only painting by Leonardo in the Americas. Unique Portrait Of Ginevra De Benci Posters designed and sold by artists. It is now owned by National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC and is currently the only painting by Leonardo in the Americas. Le tableau est décrit par deux des premiers biographes de Léonard : lAnonyme Gaddiano2 : « il peignit daprès nature Ginevra Bernardo Niccolini was twice the age of Ginevra. Portrait of Ginevra de' Benci 1474-78 Oil on wood, 38,8 x 36,7 cm National Gallery of Art, Washington: One of Leonardo's earlier works completed while he was apprenticed to Andrea Verrocchio in his Florentine workshop. One of Leonardo's earlier works completed while he was apprenticed to Andrea Verrocchio in his Florentine workshop. One Painting of Leonardo Da Vinci’s that shows that he is an ideal Renaissance man is the Ginevra de’ Benci. In 1499, he returned to Florence by necessity, as Milan had fallen to the invading armies of the French king Louis XII. Leonardo was born in 1452 in the Italian village of Anchiano, near Vinci, his namesake. The National Gallery of Art serves the nation by welcoming all people to explore and experience art, creativity, and our shared humanity. Leonardo painted the portrait in Florence between 1474 and 1478, possibly to commemorate Ginevra's marriage to Luigi di Bernardo Niccolini at the age of 16. The oil-on-wood portrait was acquired by the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. in 1967. This Portrait of Woman, called of Ginevra de' Benci is a picture attributed to Leonardo Da Vinci, dated around 1474-76. Leonardo da Vinci painted a portrait of Ginevra de ' Benci on a panel with oil, allowing him to work on it longer. The juniper bush that fills much of the background was regarded as a symbol of female virtue, in Renaissance Italy, while the Italian word for juniper, echo’s Ginevra… Leonardo da Vinci, Wreath of Laurel, Palm, and Juniper with a Scroll inscribed Virtutem Forma Decorat [reverse], c. 1474/1478, tempera on panel, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund, 1967.6.1.b, Ginevra is known to have had several admirers who composed poetry in her honor and entreated her to share own verse with them. A lady of the aristocratic class in 15th century Florence, Ginevra de' Benci was admired for her intelligence by Florentine contemporaries. Here, Leonardo learned a variety of skills that he would master later on in his career. The painting’s reverse side, Wreath of Laurel, Palm, and Juniper with a Scroll inscribed Virtutem Forma Decorat [reverse], is an image of Ginevra’s emblem or impresa and offers another kind of “portrait.” The central juniper, ginepro in Italian, a cognate of Ginevra’s name and thus her symbol, also represents chastity. Leonardo’s Portrait of Ginevra de’ Benci has always been viewed as a portrait of the patron’s Platonic love or as an emblem of feminine virtue. Sculpture Garden Lascar Publishing. “Ginevra de’ Benci” by Leonardo da Vinci Leonardo painted the portrait in Florence in 1474 to commemorate Ginevra’s marriage at the age of 16. For an unorthodox view on Ginevra de' Benci see: Paratico, Angelo (2015). ( Moritz) During that era it was comment for 16 years old to get marry so early. As a woman of renowned beauty, Ginevra de' Benci was also the subject of ten poems written by members of the Medici circle, Ginevra's brother Giovanni (1456–1523) was a friend of Leonardo. The sum of US$5 million—an absolute record price at the time—came from the Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund and was paid to the Princely Family of Liechtenstein. Da Vinci enhanced her beauty, painting her flawless, smooth skin. During the Renaissance, women were typically only depicted when they got engaged or married. National Gallery of Art, Washington. This Painting shows the Renaissance ideals of secularism, realism, and individualism. 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily, East Building Closed. [3], The juniper bush that surrounds Ginevra's head and fills much of the background, serves more than mere decorative purposes. Virtue was prized and guarded, and a girl’s beauty was thought to be a sign of goodness. It was bought in 1967 for $5 million. Download a digital image of this work, Leonardo da Vinci, Ginevra de' Benci [obverse], c. 1474/1478, oil on panel, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund, 1967.6.1.a. Like most portrait subjects of the Renaissance, she was from a wealthy family, and educated. Learn more about Portrait of Ginevra de Benci Leonardo Da Vinci - oil artwork, painted by one of the most celebrated masters in the history of art. If the painter wishes to see beauties that charm him it lies in his power to create them, and if he wishes to see monstrosities that are frightful, buffoonish, or ridiculous, or pitiable he can be lord and god thereof; if he wants to produce inhabited regions or deserts or dark and shady retreats from the heat, or warm places in cold weather, he can do so. Still, the careful observation of nature and subtle three–dimensionality of Ginevra's face point unmistakably to the new naturalism with which Leonardo would transform Renaissance painting. And may she wish that the kindly stars Even more significant to Ginevra was Bernardo Bembo, the Venetian ambassador to Florence. Equally skilled as a sculptor, architect, urban planner, inventor, anatomist, military strategist, and visionary who anticipated the invention of aircraft, submarines, and other technologies centuries before their invention, he was among the most influential figures of the Renaissance in Europe. Flawless chalk-white skin, porcelain-fine features, and a reserved, somewhat impenetrable expression reflect the refinement of the 16-year-old Ginevra de' Benci. Every difficulty may hinder your journey. Portrait Of Ginevra de Benci by Leonardo Da Vinci is a 100% hand-painted oil painting reproduction on canvas painted by one of our professional artists. Portrait Of Ginevra Benci Stock Photos and Images (42) Page 1 of 1. in the National Gallery of Art Collection, Leonardo da Vinci, Sheet of Studies [recto], probably 1470/1480, pen and brown ink over leadpoint with blind stylus on laid paper, The Armand Hammer Collection, 1991.217.2.a, Leonardo da Vinci, Study of a Madonna [verso], probably 1470/1480, black chalk on laid paper, The Armand Hammer Collection, 1991.217.2.b. Why was this young woman’s likeness painted? Check out our benci selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our shops. One Painting of Leonardo Da Vinci’s that shows that he is an ideal Renaissance man is the Ginevra de’ Benci. Portrait of Ginevra de' Benci was painted by Leonardo da Vinci around 1474-1476. ( Moritz) During that era it was comment for 16 years old to get marry so early. The portrait of Ginevra de Benci addresses some contemporary issues, including entanglement. 1458). Ginevra de ' Benci came from a wealth family of Florentine. It’s not exactly sure when Leonardo da Vinci painted the portrait of Ginevra de Benci, but historians estimate that it was painted between 1474 and 1478.. Oil on wood, 38,8 x 36,7 cm. Around 1482, Leonardo left Florence for Milan where he created The Last Supper and became the most celebrated painter of the day. Portrait of Ginevra Benci, 1476, oil and tempera. Beseech the Gods above that Ginevra de ' Benci came from a wealth family of Florentine. Ginevra was around seventeen years old, well-educated and from a wealthy Florence family. Ginevra de' Benci is a portrait painting by Leonardo da Vinci of the 15th-century Florentine aristocrat Ginevra de' Benci (born c.  1458). The portrait is one of the highlights of the National Gallery of Art, and is admired by many for its portrayal of Ginevra's temperament. Stay up to date about our exhibitions, news, programs, and special offers. 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