File:Sketches of great painters for young people (1902) (14597441437).jpg

Identifier: sketchesofgreatp00dall (find matches)
Title: Sketches of great painters for young people
Year: 1902 (1900s)
Authors: Dallin, Colonna Murray, Mrs
Subjects: Painters
Publisher: New York, Boston (etc.) Silver, Burdett and Company
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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obought the portrait, gazed on more beauty than we seeto-day. But time has laid his hand reverently on thework, and has preserved the most exquisite harmony.In the background are blues and greens in the rocksand water. The coloring of the hair is a rich auburn ;and the drapery is of mingling hues of gold, green, andblue, which almost elude us at first sight, but are re-vealed as we become accustomed to them as to objectsin a darkened room. Over the face and neck is a rich,golden light, grown richer perhaps with age. While the portrait was in progress, Leonardo ar-ranged to have musicians and poets while away thetime, in order that Mona Lisa might keep the same ex-pression. For four years he worked on the pictureand then left it unfinished, still dissatisfied with hiswork. Leonardo painted a cartoon, called the Virgin in theLap of St. Anne, with the Infant Christ and St. John, foran altarpiece for the Nunziata Convent. When the draw-ing was exhibited in the convent, throngs went to see
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Leonardo da Vinci 44 SKETCHES OF GREAT PAINTERS. it, and the streets were crowded as though a festivalwere going on. Thus Leonardo had a taste of Cima-bues triumph on that birthday festival of Italianpainting three centuries before. The picture wasnever painted, but the cartoon, or a copy of it. is in theRoyal Academy in London. There is a picture in theLouvre on a similar subject, which was painted between1502 and 1507. It contains a charming figure of theInfant Christ, playing with a lamb and holding it bythe ears. In 1514 Leonardo went to Rome at the invitation ofPope Leo X. This visit did not bring much satisfac-tion to him, for he was then an old man and his sunwas near its setting. He had been honored in Florenceabove all others for many years; but in Rome theenthusiasm over Michelangelo and Raphael was sogreat that Leonardo did not receive the homage duehim. His visit was a short one, and he soon joinedthe court of the French king, then held at Pavia. Francis I. was trying to d

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