What is Virgin of the Rocks?
{{Italic title}}[[File:Virgin of the Rocks (Louvre).jpg|thumb|416x416px|The ''Virgin of the Rocks''.]] The '''''Virgin of the Rocks''''' is a [[painting]] by [[Leonardo da Vinci]]. It was very [[Controversy|controversial]] and had two versions. The painting shows [[Mary, mother of Jesus|Mary]], [[John the Baptist]], Jesus, and an angel. Mary was holding John the Baptist while Jesus blessed them.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.leonardodavinci.net/the-virgin-of-the-rocks.jsp|title=The Virgin of the Rocks - by Leonardo Da Vinci|website=www.leonardodavinci.net|access-date=2020-02-03}}</ref> The painting was controversial because Mary wasn't touching Jesus at all, so Da Vinci made a second version of the painting. Mary looks very graceful, which was a traditional [[Renaissance]] fashion. The French version was the first time that a Renaissance artist did not paint the Virgin Mary with a [[halo]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/renaissance-reformation/high-ren-florence-rome/leonardo-da-vinci/a/leonardo-virgin-of-the-rocks|title=Virgin of the Rocks (article)|website=Khan Academy|language=en|access-date=2020-02-03}}</ref> Many symbols and emblems in churches and buildings in [[Lierna]] lead explorers to discover the important role of the [[Knights Templar]] in the region.They also found that Leonardo's painting may have served as a mysterious map to a secret passage in an area of the [[Grigna]] mountain range known as Alpe di Campione. The rock formations, caves, waterfalls and breathtaking views of the Grigna massif and the surrounding Lierna mountains on [[Lake Como]] inspired Leonardo da Vinci's development. == References == <references /> [[Category:Paintings by Leonardo da Vinci]] [[Category:Paintings in the National Gallery, London]] [[Category:15th-century paintings]]