High RenaissancePreview image — download the full-resolution TIF after purchase
Basic Information
Historical Context
Head study for Madonna compositions. Leonardo maintained extensive collection of head studies drawn from life, drawn upon for painted Madonnas. May have served as preparation for Milanese Madonna painting or follower's copy of lost original.
Artistic Appreciation
Head studies capture physical appearance and suggest inner emotional state, reflecting Leonardo's belief in interconnection between beauty and moral character. Both preparation and record of physiognomic investigation.
Head of a Young Woman (Madonna Study) (Testa di giovane donna)
Visual Description
Young woman's head in three-quarter view with careful light-shadow play. Hair gathered in soft arrangement. Contemplative, gentle expression with slight Leonardesque smile. Fine hatching or sfumato chalk creates smooth transitions.
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