"Our Lady of the Rocks"
1485

"Our Lady of the Rocks"
1506

There is a big brouhaha among two of the greatest museums in the world over what Leonardo da Vinci (painter of the “Mona Lisa” and “The Last Supper”) might or might not have painted five hundred years ago.

The National Gallery in London and the Louvre in Paris both claim an authentic Leonardo da Vinci painting…”Our Lady of the Rocks.”  The Louvre says, “OUR ‘Lady of the Rocks’ is painted entirely by Leonardo.”  Scholars all agree this is TRUE.  However, the National Gallery in London shouts the house down with “Yes, but Leonardo did some work on OUR ‘Lady of the Rocks,’ although painted 25 years later, so therefore it TOO is a Leonardo.”  Some scholars disagree and are still debating whether Leonardo may or may not have added a few brush strokes to the National Gallery’s painting.

Decide for yourself which is the “real” painting.
Hint:
1. Leonardo’s genius was portraying real human emotions on his subjects faces.
2. Leonardo believed painting was a form of science and he invented a technique of blurring edges (sfumato) to produce mellowed colors and leave something to the imagination.  No sharp edges.

Take a look at the two paintings above. Which do you think is the “real” Leonardo?

Answer: ervuoL ehT………………………….(the first painting)

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