composition established, he then moved to close-ups of individual combatants, as shown in the studies now in the Szépmüvészeti Múzeum in Budapest. And all throughout this process, the portrait of Lisa del Giocondo stood in a corner of his studio, unfinished save for the figure with her radiant countenance and tender hands. The commission had once again moved Leonardo to the forefront of Anghiari Florence’s artistic endeavor. Inevitably, it provoked Isabella d’Este into another letter pleading for a work by the master, or work by Leonardo for that matter, written in a any tone that betrayed just a tinge of the Marchioness’ growing exasperation. “Maestro Leonardo,” she began, that you are settled in Florence, we are hopeful “understanding that we can get from you what we have so much desired, which is something from your hand.” Isabella went on to remind him of his promise to turn the charcoal drawing he had made of her color,” but since this would now be unlikely, given that would be “into “it inconvenient for you to move here,” she magnanimously offered him to your good “keep faith by a portrait of Jesus as a young man, of about twelve years old, at the age when he disputed in the Temple.” What the Marchioness was particularly looking for, she confessed, was sweetness and soft ethereal charm, which is the peculiar excellence “that of your art.” The letter was delivered to the master’s workshop in the Santa Maria Novella by her agent, the merchant Angelo del Tovaglia. The answer, dutifully relayed back to the Marchioness, was a shrug. As Tovaglia wrote in his response, he do it when he can “may spare the time from the project he has begun for the Signoria.” Translated into Leonardonese, that meant The fresco now consumed him fully, and no Anghiari ‘no’. other work in paint, certainly not a was going to detract him from his purpose. portrait, Michelangelo Buonarotti, ca. 1501-1504. David; There was one exception, and that was a request from the same Signoria to serve on an ad committee of artistic luminaries. This committee had been convened in January of hoc 1504 to decide on the proper location for a sculpted figure, originally contracted in 1501,
composition established, he then moved to close-ups of individual combatants, as shown in the studies now in the Szépmüvészeti Múzeum in Budapest. And all throughout this process, the portrait of Lisa del Giocondo stood in a corner of his studio, unfinished save for the figure with her radiant countenance and tender hands. The Anghiari commission had once again moved Leonardo to the forefront of Florence’s artistic endeavor. Inevitably, it provoked Isabella d’Este into another letter pleading for a work by the master, or any work by Leonardo for that matter, written in a tone that betrayed just a tinge of the Marchioness’ growing exasperation. “Maestro Leonardo,” she began, “understanding that you are settled in Florence, we are hopeful that we can get from you what we have so much desired, which is something from your hand.” Isabella went on to remind him of his promise to turn the charcoal drawing he had made of her “into color,” but since this would now be unlikely, given that “it would be inconvenient for you to move here,” she magnanimously offered him to “keep your good faith by a portrait of Jesus as a young man, of about twelve years old, at the age when he disputed in the Temple.” What the Marchioness was particularly looking for, she confessed, was “that sweetness and soft ethereal charm, which is the peculiar excellence of your art.” The letter was delivered to the master’s workshop in the Santa Maria Novella by her agent, the merchant Angelo del Tovaglia. The answer, dutifully relayed back to the Marchioness, was a shrug. As Tovaglia wrote in his response, he “may do it when he can spare the time from the project he has begun for the Signoria.” Translated into Leonardonese, that meant ‘no’. The Anghiari fresco now consumed him fully, and no other work in paint, certainly not a portrait, was going to detract him from his purpose. Michelangelo Buonarotti, David; ca. 1501-1504. There was one exception, and that was a request from the same Signoria to serve on an ad hoc committee of artistic luminaries. This committee had been convened in January of 1504 to decide on the proper location for a sculpted figure, originally contracted in 1501,
The-Mona-Lisa-Myth_MS_0619-cd-notes.docx