Questions: please hold till end Exploring The Virgin of the Rocks Leonardo da Vinci (1452 – 1519) Helen Gardner, art historian: "his mind and personality seem to us superhuman, while the man himself mysterious and remote” Giorgio Vasari: “his every action is so divine, that, surpassing all other men, it makes itself clearly known as a thing bestowed by God (as it is), and not acquired by human art” 1568 Slides: www.thechristianmysteries.com Andrew Linnell [email protected] Why 2? Dec. 3, 2015 Virgin of the Rocks Revealed 2 Who Has the Original? Dueling (French and English) Museums 2011: Both paintings at exhibition at the National Gallery, London • “The National Gallery's Virgin of the Rocks was painted for the confraternity as a replacement for the Louvre version, which had probably been sold during the earlier dispute.” • “In order to support the theory that the Louvre painting is the earlier, an elaborate hypothesis has been formed involving Leonardo delivering the Confraternity's painting, then removing it, selling it to a private client and painting the London version as a substitute -- none of this is supported by documentary evidence. • “The fabrication that Leonardo sold the original painting in a pique of annoyance over the small size of the bonus awarded him has been seized by almost every ardent member of the media who has done a story on the exhibition. The hypothesis is simply accepted as fact.” -- http://leonardovirginoftherocks.blogspot.com/ Dec. 3, 2015 Virgin of the Rocks Revealed 3 Brief History of The Virgin of the Rocks (VoR) Late 1482: DaVinci arrives in Milan from Florence • New Chapel at Confraternity of the Immaculate Conception – 1477: Doctrine of Immaculate Conception recognized by Pope Sixtus IV • 1480: Giacomo del Maino had been commissioned – Withdraws on August 7, 1482, before due date, reopening the bid • April 25, 1483: Leonardo, possibly offering original VoR, wins bid – Apparently “accepted” but with changes → new version – Contract specified characters and colors, side panels – Was to finish by the Feast of the Conception 12/8/83 • Commission documents states Leonardo as the “master” – Under Leonardo’s skillful and watchful supervision, 2nd version painted largely by student(s) Ambrogio de Predis (and Bernardino Luini?) – Several sections, e.g. curls, are likely done by Leonardo – Evangelista de Predis mentioned – likely the gilder & paint maker Dec. 3, 2015 Virgin of the Rocks Revealed 4 Confraternity Requested • Virgin and Child in a crib – Prophets looking on • Brightly colored background – Rocks and landscape • Above: God the Father – Robe of gold & ultramarine blue • Virgin Mary’s garment specs Albani Torlonia Altarpiece Perugino c. 1490 example of – Crimson and gold brocade and cloak of ultramarine desired – Decorated “in the Byzantine manner” • Side panels: – Four angels playing instruments and singing –LeonardoSome smaller abandoned panels the depicting conservative the life of and the doctrinally Virgin based subject matter prescribed by the Confraternity -- Tamsyn Taylor Dec. 3, 2015 Virgin of the Rocks Revealed 5 The Contract • An initial payment of 100 Lire made on May 1, 1483 – Thereafter payments of 40 Lire/month up to 800 Lire • Another sum of money was to be negotiated upon completion • Seven years later … • 1490-95: Ambrogio and Leonardo petition the Confraternity stating that they have completed part of the contracted work and that the center piece alone cost 800 Lire thus they ask for a further 1200 Lire – Painting may be in possession of the Confraternity 1490-95 – Confraternity offers only 100 Lire more setting up legal battle • 1495: Leonardo “completes” the Last Supper – Leonardo and Ambrogio then request Ludovico Sforza, the Duke of Milan, to intervene or else appoint two experts to represent the various parties to evaluate the paintings – If agreement over the payment cannot be met, Ambrogio and Leonardo request permission to withdraw the work from the chapel Dec. 3, 2015 Virgin of the Rocks Revealed 6 Historical Records 16 years after winning the bid … (true to Leonardo’s style) “it seemed to him that the hand was not able to attain to the perfection of art in carrying out the things which he imagined” -- Vasari • 1499: 2nd Italian War; Leonardo flees Milan – 1499-1506: Legal dispute: Confraternity still would not accept it • 1503-1505: Leonardo works on the Mona Lisa • April 27, 1506: Dispute settled – Required Leonardo to return to Milan within two years “to complete” the work – 1507: Confraternity pays 100 lire for completing the work – October 23. 1508: Ambrogio receives final 100 lire payment • Leonardo foregoes his share in favor of Ambrogio – 1508: Installed in Giacomo del Maino's frame at the Confraternity – Original not mentioned, turns up 1625 in French Royal collection Dec. 3, 2015 Virgin of the Rocks Revealed 7 Why 2? Dec. 3, 2015 Virgin of the Rocks Revealed 8 Which Is the Original? Debate Continues! National Gallery Louvre • Ottino della Chiesa notes • Martin Davies, director of similarity of dimensions, NG1967-73: L VoR is an why would L VoR fit Maino early work painted in frame? Florence and taken by • Tamsyn Taylor notes Leonardo to Milan in 1481 progressive use of • Kenneth Clark, Director of chiaroscuro to define NG, 1933-45: NG VoR form: NG VoR fits this was begun in 1483 to progression exactly, L fulfill the commission VoR does not, NG figures • NG VoR inaccurate are more solid, earthy flowers not by Leonardo Dec. 3, 2015 Virgin of the Rocks Revealed 9 Side Panels Artistically a Mismatch Dec. 3, 2015 Virgin of the Rocks Revealed 10 On top of the varnish Dec. 3, 2015 Virgin of the Rocks Revealed 11 Historical Situation: 1452 – 1519 • The Ancient Mysteries had vanished – Alexander (323 BCE) & Constantine (337 CE) – Julian (363), Theodosius (395), & Justinian (565) • Greek philosophers flee east to safety • Ignited the cultural supremacy of the Islamic states in 10th C • Rome had long since faded away – Barbarians had become “civilized” since Charlemagne – Rome & Constantinople were split for over 400 years • Constantinople falls to Ottoman Empire 1453 • Gone: Chartres, Cathars, & Templars – “Heretics” killed by Crusade & still hunted by Inquisition • Era of Pilgrimages (10th – 14th C): over • Bubonic plague: 70% of Europe’s population removed • Papacy and theology in crisis, immorality → humanism Dec. 3, 2015 Virgin of the Rocks Revealed 12 Mystics, Platonists, and Secrecy • Why might Leonardo be so secret? – Ancient Mysteries, even Plato = heresy – Divulging Mystery Center’s secrets meant death – Burn Mystics & Heretics, Giordano Bruno 1600 • Paths of Mystery knowledge to Europe – Charlemagne from Harun al-Rashid (via Gondhishapur) – Kabbalists – Knights Templars: extermination began Friday the 13th 1314 – Cathars: Genocide via Albigensian Crusade and Inquisition 1244 – Rosicrucians: arose 14th century, wisely chose to be very secretive – Alchemists and Hermeticists Dec. 3, 2015 Virgin of the Rocks Revealed 13 Manuel Chrysolorus (1355-1415) • 1391: envoy to West from Constantinople – Sought Western military help – Battle for Constantinople begins on Leonardo’s BD • Gave lectures on Greek philosophers – Taught Roberto de’ Rossi, Cosimo de’ Medici’s tutor – Preparer of the Renaissance • 1396: Invited to teach at Univ. of Florence • 1400: Goes on to teach at Bologna, Venice, and Rome • Inspired Florentine missions to save ancient texts in the East – 1423: Giovanni Aurispa returns with 238 texts • Plato, Plotinus, Proclus, Sophocles, Aeschylus, more – 1469: Basilios Bessarion gave to Venice’s Library of San Marcos more than 800 volumes from the East • Sources: D’Eprio, Peter, The Book of Firsts, pg 337-338 – And Liebregts, Peter, Ezra Pound and Neoplatonism, Dec. 3, 2015 Virgin of the Rocks Revealed 14 G. Gemistus Plethon (1355 – 1452) For more see paper by Shawn Gray • Constantinople 1355 – Mistra (outside Sparta)1452 • 1428: Byzntn Emperor John VIII asks Gemistus – How can the split churches be unified? • 1438 - 39 Council of Florence – Attempt to reconcile the East-West schism – Accompanies John VIII because of his renowned wisdom and morality – Byzantine Empire was asking for European help against the Ottomans • Becomes the Catalyst for the Renaissance – Invited to set up a temporary school • Lectures on the differences between Plato and Aristotle – Cosimo de' Medici attended these lectures – very excited • Inspired, Cosimo founds the Accademia Platonica, appoints Ficino its head • Students of Plethon continued to teach well after the council ended – Lectures summarized in book On the Differences of Aristotle from Plato – Inspired Renaissance paintings on Greek mythology Dec. 3, 2015 Virgin of the Rocks Revealed 15 Who Was Plethon? • A “Prince Among the Philosophers” • Well versed in Plato, Aristotle, Zoroaster/Zarathustra • Marsilio Ficino called him 'the second Plato' while Cardinal Bessarion speculated as to whether Plato's soul occupied his body • Plethon’s books included Hermes Trismegistus – Likely source for Ficino's Orphic system of natural magic – Believed West was influenced by Arabic (materialistic) interpretations of Plato & Aristotle – Practiced ancient Greek paganism as prelude to Christianity • Trunk full of books – allowed de’ Medici team to translate – Doctrines of Zoroaster, Plato, Plotinus, Hermes Trismegistus and others – Byzantines had wisdom and many documents the West had not seen – Where are these books today? • 1440: Returned to Greece to found a mystery center in Mistra Dec. 3, 2015 Virgin of the Rocks Revealed