Mystery in 2 Leonardo's paintings in his early career

In this episode, Laurence Kanter, the chief curator and the Lionel Goldfrank III Curator of European Art, Yale University Art Gallery, discusses Leonardo's masterpieces during his early career in Florence.

The 'Annunciation'

Leonardo da Vinci painted 'The Annunciation' around 1475–1479, which is oil on panel painting.

'The Annunciation' depicts the scene of the angel Gabriel, God’s Messenger, kneeling and informing the Virgin that she will conceive Jesus.

Kanter notices the realistic use of light and shadows, the meticulous detail of the angel’s wings, in which primary and secondary feathers are carefully painted, and the fine moldings on benches lining the walls behind the Virgin Mary.

He commented, "You'd almost need a single-hair brush to render that detail." "You'd almost have to ask yourself, 'Why bother? Does it make a difference to the story? Will anyone notice it?' It's not a screamingly important detail, but for Leonardo, every touch that adds to the realism of a picture is screamingly important."


"A Miracle of Saint Donatus of Arrezo"

Leonardo da Vinci painted "A Miracle of Saint Donatus of Arrezo" and "The Annunciation" when he was an apprentice in the studio of Andrea del Verrocchio, a sculptor, painter, and goldsmith.

It is a small oil painting. It portraits two kneeling men facing each other. They are framed together, but their quality is worlds apart.

The man on the left appears flat and off-kilter, while the man on the right is textured and lifelike.

According to Laurence Kanter, this painting is the work of two artists, Lorenzo di Credi and Leonardo da Vinci, one far more talented than the other.

Kanter added, "Lorenzo di Credi wasn't a bad painter; he was a really good painter and one of the most cherished today amongst his Florentine contemporaries." "It's just that nobody could hold a candle to Leonardo."

Join Laurence Kanter in discovering stories behind the paintings by young Leonardo.