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1 of 253523 objects
A stem of Job's-tears c.1510-15
Black chalk, pen and ink | 21.2 x 23.0 cm (sheet of paper) | RCIN 912429
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A study of the grain-bearing grass known as Job’s-tears (Coix lachryma-jobi L.). The single stalk breaks into two curving heads from which spring bearded ears, something like those of barley. The plant is native to Asia, and this is its first record in western Europe. Melzi's number 152.
Leonardo drew plants and flowers throughout his life, following the tradition of naturalistic detail in fifteenth-century Italian art. His finest botanical drawings were made in connection with a painting of Leda and the Swan, but what started as studies towards a painting soon became scientific studies in their own right, apparently towards a treatise on the structure of plants and trees.
Text adapted from Leonardo da Vinci: A life in drawing, London, 2018
Provenance
Bequeathed to Francesco Melzi; from whose heirs purchased by Pompeo Leoni, c.1582-90; Thomas Howard, 14th Earl of Arundel, by 1630; probably acquired by Charles II; Royal Collection by 1690
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Creator(s)
Acquirer(s)
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Medium and techniques
Black chalk, pen and ink
Measurements
21.2 x 23.0 cm (sheet of paper)
Other number(s)
RL 12429Alternative title(s)
Job's tears (Coix lachryma-jobi)
Featured in
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This exhibition draws on oil paintings, works on paper, books, manuscripts and decorative arts from the Royal Collection to explore the way in which the garden inspired artists and craftsmen between 1500 and 1900.
ExhibitionAmazing Rare Things: The Art of Natural History in the Age of Discovery: The Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace
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ExhibitionLeonardo da Vinci: A Life in Drawing: Nationwide
A nationwide exhibition of drawings to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Leonardo's death