Robert Draws – Second portrait of Leonardo da Vinci has been unveiled, sending shockwaves through the art world. A newly-identified sketch of the renowned Italian master is set to be displayed publicly for the first time at Buckingham Palace, offering a rare glimpse of the artist’s likeness. This discovery brings the total number of known contemporary portraits of Leonardo to just two, a remarkable find that has captured the attention of historians and art enthusiasts worldwide.
Martin Clayton, the head of prints and drawings at the Royal Collection, uncovered the portrait while examining documents stored in Windsor Castle. The drawing, which depicts a bearded man, is believed to show Leonardo himself, created by an unknown assistant just before the artist’s death in 1519 at the age of 67. This makes the sketch one of the only two surviving portraits made during Leonardo da Vinci’s lifetime.
Francesco Melzi, Leonardo’s pupil, created the other known contemporary portrait of Leonardo around the same time. The discovery of this second portrait adds a layer of intrigue to the history of the artist’s visual representation. Although experts, including Martin Clayton, have raised doubts about its authenticity, many have widely considered another drawing in Turin a “self-portrait” of Leonardo.
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Martin Clayton made the connection between this sketch and Melzi’s well-known portrait of Leonardo. He points out several distinctive features shared between the two drawings that suggest both portray the same individual. The straight nose, the line of the beard rising diagonally up to the ear, a ringlet falling from the moustache at the mouth corner, and the long wavy hair are all strikingly similar in both portraits. According to Clayton, these characteristics make this newly discovered sketch another valuable contemporary likeness of Leonardo da Vinci.
The sketch shows Leonardo at around the age of 65, a time when he was nearing the end of his life. Clayton describes the artist’s expression as “a little melancholy and world-weary.” This was likely a reflection of the artist’s health at the time, as he had suffered a stroke that left him with paralysis in his right arm. Although he could no longer paint, Leonardo remained active in drawing. Clayton notes that by the time an assistant made this portrait, Leonardo knew his body was failing.
Additionally, the artist’s well-kept and luxuriant beard in the sketch stands out. During Leonardo’s lifetime, relatively few men wore beards, although they were becoming fashionable at that time. The prominence of this feature further supports the identification of the portrait as a representation of the renowned artist.
This newly-identified sketch appears on a double-sided sheet of paper that also features detailed studies of a horse’s leg, which Leonardo created as part of his work on an equestrian monument. The Royal Collection Trust reveals that the possibility of this being a portrait of Leonardo was first suggested by art historian Kenneth Clark in 1968 when he compiled a scholarly catalogue of drawings. However, Martin Clayton’s research led to the positive identification of the sketch as a depiction of the great artist.
The significance of this discovery is immense, as it adds to the very limited visual documentation of Leonardo da Vinci. Francesco Melzi created the only other known portrait of Leonardo from his time, and experts consider it a key historical reference for understanding how the artist may have looked in his later years.
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The Queen’s Gallery in Buckingham Palace will showcase this rare portrait for the first time as part of an exhibition. The exhibition, set to open on May 24, will feature over 200 drawings by Leonardo da Vinci, including iconic works such as his studies for The Adoration of the Magi and The Last Supper. The exhibition promises to offer a comprehensive view of Leonardo’s artistic genius and provide a deeper insight into his life and work.
Additionally, in November, the Royal Collection will transfer a selection of 80 drawings to the Queen’s Gallery in Edinburgh for the largest exhibition of Leonardo da Vinci’s works ever shown in Scotland. This will further expand the reach of Leonardo’s masterpieces to audiences in the UK.
The unveiling of the second known portrait of Leonardo da Vinci not only adds a new chapter to the history of art but also invites art lovers and scholars to reflect on the life and legacy of one of the most influential figures in the history of Western art.
