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LEONARDO DA VINCI (VINCI 1452-AMBOISE 1519)

The head of a bearded man in profile

c.1517-18

RCIN 912553

A drawing of the head of a man turned in profile to the right. He has heavy regular features, a slight beard and thick curly hair. Throughout his career Leonardo made carefully-finished studies of male heads in profile, often without any obvious purpose. Many of these were based on the heads on ancient Roman coins and medals, but here the curled hair shows an interest in elaborate patterning that was typical of Leonardo’s art. Text adapted from 'Leonardo da Vinci: the Divine and the Grotesque'
  • stamp, ER VII, crowned, in oval: Lugt 901

    Fragmentary hand and flower. Type of Briquet's 11159 (Genoa 1483), 11136 (Perpignan 1497), 11164 (Genoa 1493-5), 11163 (Nantes 1490) etc.


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