Leonardo Da Vinci

Annunciation, 1472-75

"Annunciation", painted around 1473, is a representation of the Christian subject of Annunciation, where the Angel Gabriel informs the Virgin Mary that she is the chosen one to carry the child that is going to be world's savior. This image depicts the Angel Gabriel with extended bird wings, which emphasized the situation of event and humility more than the rest of the painting.

The Lady with the Ermine, 1483

"The Lady with the Ermine, 1483", painted around 1483, represents Cecilia Gallerani, the most famous mistress of the Duke of Milan, Ludovico Sforza, with whom Leonardo worked for a certain period of his life. The Duke often asked Leonardo to create interesting feats of art and science but he also requested a portrait of his mistress. Leonardo painted Cecilia, with her holding an Ermine, which symbolically represented the Duke, who was held tightly by her charisma and personal influence.

Portrait of a Musician, c.1485

"Portrait of a Musician" is a painting made around 1490, and the man represented is believed to be the maestro di cappela of the Cathedral in Milan, Franchino Gaffurio. The painting's most interesting element is its ornate, tiny details illustrating a musical score with notes on it. Also, this painting has been restored multiple times throughout history.

Vitruvian Man, 1492

"Vitruvian Man" is one of the most famous drawings made by Leonardo Da Vinci, somewhere around 1492. The drawing is based off of a architectural manual by the famous Roman architect, Marcus Vitruvius which is how the illustration got the name. The image illustrates a man positioned in a square and a circle, showing the human being as a principal source for symmetry and proportion while relating this to classical architecture.

The Last Supper, 1495

"The Last Supper, 1495" is one of the most famous murals ever created by Leonardo in 1495. This large wall painting was planned as part of renovation process of Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan. The image shows the last supper that Jesus had with his disciples, depicting the scene in which Jesus says that someone among them will betray him. Environmental factors and the technique of painting used caused the masterpiece to fade over the years. As a result, it has been restored a number of times in the past. The interesting thing about its creation is that Leonardo was often seen working on the painting without stopping, and then leaving for a few days to walk around the town and look for the perfect faces for the disciples. This enormous mural measures at 181" x 346" (15 ft x 28 ft).

Mona Lisa, 1503

"Mona Lisa, 1503", the most famous portrait in the world, was unofficially completed around 1503. However, Leonardo always carried the painting with him and perfected it over 15 or more years. The woman in the painting is now recognized as Lisa Gheradini, a wife of an official of that time. She had five children at that moment, and some speculate that her mysterious smile comes from the fact that she was pregnant. Although many theories and speculations have been made about the "Mona Lisa", critics all agree that it is an amazing work of art. This painting is considered to be Leonardo's masterpiece and was later acquired by the French King Francis I, as a beautification for his royal bath-house. After the French revolution, the painting was left in the palace to be seen by the public, and was later transferred to the Louvre, where it stands today. The painting is considered a national treasure of France, and its price cannot be measured.

The Virgin, Child, and St. Anne, 1503

"The Virgin, Child, and St. Anne, 1503" was painted around 1503, and depicts the child Jesus playing with a lamb, while his mother, Mary, tries to teach him to be more peaceful and calm. This image also illustrates Saint Anne, Virgin Mary's mother in whose lap the Virgin Mary is sitting. The painting shows Saint Anne as significantly larger than Mary. This however is not because she is physically bigger but simply to show that she, as a mother, is the greater generation and always caring for her daughter, even while her own daughter watches over her grandchild.

Head of a Young Woman with Tousled Hair, 1508

"Head of a Young Woman with Tousled Hair, 1508", or "La Scapigliata" was painted around 1508 with oil on canvas and is currently located in National Gallery of Parma in Italy. This painting illustrates a woman's face together with her hair floating around in simple, gradient colors but with exquisite detail.

Saint John the Baptist, 1514

"Saint John the Baptist, 1514" was painted around 1514, and depicts John the Baptist, pointing upwards with his index finger, while smiling. This embodies the notion that while pretty things in life can be found in people, true beauty is really up in heaven (the sky). Some critics think that the face of Saint John is actually the face of his pupil Salai, which was used as a model for this painting. This great work of art is presented in the Louvre museum in Paris.