GINEVRA DE BENCI
By
Leonardo da Vinci
**Oil on Panel
Done sometime during 1474-1478
( Held in Gallery no 6 First Floor, National Gallery of Art,Washington DC )
We were at the National Gallery of Art ,Washington DC yesterday.The museum is located on National Mall more specifically on the Constitution Avenue. It consists of two main buildings: the West Building, which houses the museum's collection of European and American art from the Middle Ages to the present, and the East Building, which primarily features modern and contemporary art.Inside the marble walls of the National Gallery’s two buildings, there is a little bit of something for everyone—whether that’s 13th century religious *altarpieces, or 20th century abstract expressionism.The National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., was built by Andrew W. Mellon, who was a prominent financier and philanthropist. He played a crucial role in the establishment of the gallery by donating funds and art collections to the United States government for the creation of the museum. The gallery's construction began in 1937 and it opened to the public in 1941.The gallery is home to many iconic masterpieces, such as Leonardo da Vinci's "Ginevra de' Benci," Johannes Vermeer's "Girl with a Pearl Earring," and Claude Monet's "Woman with a Parasol " , "Little Dancer of Fourteen Years ( A wax sculpture by Edgar Degas)", "Self Portrait" by Rembrandt , "A Scene in Catskill" by Paul Weber, "Daniel in the Lion's Den " by Rubens and some more .These works attract art enthusiasts from around the world.The painting "Ginevra de' Benci" was donated to the National Gallery Art by Ailsa Mellon Bruce the daughter of Andrew W. Mellon.
This museum is administered and operated by the federal government of the United States. Specifically, it is under the management of the National Gallery of Art Board of Trustees, which oversees its operations, exhibitions, and collections. It allows free entry apart from providing free group guide facility twice everyday at 11 am and 3 p m . We joined the morning group of 11 a m . Our guide happened to be well versed in art history who spoke in detail about every object she made us see . I selected this museum to see some masterpieces of Dominique Ingres, Rubens ,Raphael, Rembrandt , Michelangelo , Degas and the priceless, haunting and hypnotic masterpiece of Leonardo da Vinci known as 'Ginevra de Benci' . We were told that the painting is as precious as Mona Lisa held in Louvre, Paris. It is one among some 20 or 21 paintings of the master available in all the museums of the world.
( Portrait of Parents by Jan De Bray)
( Daniel in the Lion's Den by Rubens )
( The Thinker by Auguste Rodin )
( Little Dancer Aged Fourteen by Edgar Degas )
( Scene in the Catskills by Paul Weber )
( Self Portrait by Rembrandt )
Ginevra de' Benci is one of the first known three-quarter-view portraits in Italian art. She eyes the viewer directly.Ginevra de' Benci (1457–1521) was a member of the Benci family in Florence born into a family of wealthy Florentine merchants in 1457.
Before the invention of camera, artists performed the role of picture makers or photographers . In Europe, wealthy people engaged reputed artists to draw pictures of their family members . It was a custom in Italy to draw pictures of young bride by parents as a token of remembrance as she had to depart to her in law's house. This painting is also the portrait of the daughter of a wealthy Florentine banker, —the only painting by Leonardo da Vinci in the Americas.
We were told by the guide that it was probably commissioned about the time of her marriage at age 16. Leonardo himself was about 22 years when he drew this portrait .The portrait is among his earliest experiments with the new medium of oil paint. " A careful observation of nature and subtle three–dimensionality of Ginevra's face point unmistakably to the new naturalism with which Leonardo would transform Renaissance painting. Ginevra is modeled with gradually deepening veils of smoky shadow" , informs the website of the museum.
Leonardo has not drawn the traditional windows or space or show her seated on a chair or inside a room as used to be the tradition . It depicts Ginevra de' Benci in front of a juniper tree in a landscape with a settlement.Ginevra's face is framed by the spiky, evergreen leaves of a juniper bush. Juniper refers to her chastity, the greatest virtue of a Renaissance woman, and puns her name. The Italian for juniper is ginepro.
The painting demonstrates Leonardo's early mastery of techniques such as sfumato (the subtle blending of colours and tones) and chiaroscuro (the contrast between light and shadow). These techniques enhance the naturalism and lifelike quality of the portrait.This painting exemplifies Leonardo's keen observation of human anatomy and expression, and his ability to convey depth and emotion in his subjects.It's noted for its delicate execution and subtle use of light.The swirling depiction of the curls is Leonardesque. The thematic focus on landscape and nature is equally typical of Leonardo. He discovered aerial perspective, that is, that the landscape becomes bluer and bluer toward the horizon. This can also be seen. Overall, the painting presents all the essential features of that is Leonardo da Vinci always brought in his work.
Apart from hair curves., the cheeks, the eyes, the forehead, the neck and the expression bear the seal of the master.She is depicted in a three-quarter view against a background of juniper trees, which symbolize her name "Ginevra" means juniper in Italian.Ginevra de' Benci" is notable not only for its artistic merit but also for the insights it provides into Renaissance ideals of beauty, virtue, and individuality.
Ginevra's expression is enigmatic and contemplative, capturing a sense of introspection and inner thought, which is characteristic of Leonardo's approach to portraiture.The juniper bush behind her is thought to symbolize chastity or virtue, as juniper was associated with these qualities in Renaissance Italy. The 22-year-old da Vinci was an apprentice at the flourishing Florentine workshop of Andrea del Verrocchio, a sculptor, painter, and goldsmith, when he painted Ginevra.
The lady guide who accompanied our group inside the National Museum of Art, Washington DC had this to add:-
" For this museum, this painting is as precious as Mona Lisa is for Louvre ,Paris. The vast majority of female portraits were commissioned on one of two occasions: betrothal or marriage and engagements. Wedding portraits were generally done for the couple with the woman on the right side. This portrait is more likely to have commemorated her engagement. Her lack of obvious finery, however, is somewhat surprising. Jewels, luxurious brocades, and elaborate dresses were part of dowry exchanges and displayed a family’s wealth even during engagements.
This is a portrait of Ginevra de' Benci.She was the daughter of a wealthy Florentine banker.Born in Florence in 1457, nothing is known about her mother. She probably died in childbirth.On her father's side, Ginevra was the granddaughter of the heavily wealthy Florentine banker Giovanni di Amerigo di Simone de' Benci (1394-1455). He had worked his way up within the Medici Florentine business empire from simple accountant to partner of the company patriarch Cosimo de 'Medici. At his death, Giovanni de' Benci left his son Amerigo the second largest fortune in Florence, just after that of the Medicis.Ginevra's father Amerigo Benci (1431-1474) initially followed in his father's footsteps and headed the Medici bank in Geneva from 1455 to about 1463. It was during this period that Ginevra was born. The Italian name of Geneva is Ginevra.
Ginevra's father died in 1474 at the age of only 43. Shortly thereafter, the sixteen-year-old Ginevra became engaged to the 34-year-old merchant and widower Luigi di Bernado di Lapo Niccolini (b1440).Ginevra de' Benci died in 1520 at the age of 63. Her husband Luigi di Bernado di Lapo Niccolini died already in 1505 and their marriage remained childless.
In the background of the landscape three buildings can be made out. They are, from left to right, a mill, a church and a rock castle.The buildings in the background of the picture have a political-symbolic meaning and symbolize the feudal system of estates in Europe. The model of the estates is also called the pyramid of estates: the castle was the nobility, the church was the clergy and the mill was the peasants and later the merchant bourgeoisie.The estates model was valid in Europe from the Middle Ages until the French Revolution in 1789. After that, it was gradually abolished in favour of a new democratic world order.
Based on a conservative estimate , one can hypothetically say that this painting is worth 350 to 400 million US dollars .This is minimum . However, as a historically significant work by Leonardo da Vinci, its value is considered priceless and it is unlikely to ever be sold.
Due to damage, a part of the panel was cut down by few inches along the bottom. Unfortunately , it removed Ginevra's hands. A drawing by Leonardo survives that suggests their appearance—lightly cradled at her waist and holding a small sprig, perhaps a pink, a flower commonly used in Renaissance portraits to symbolize devotion or virtue. "
The painting is not hung on the wall. It is kept on a stand and covered on all sides by thick bullet proof glass. Its back side is also painted symbolically . I also saw the painted backside of the painting.On the reverse side of the poplar panel, the young artist also painted Ginevra’s emblematic wreath of a juniper sprig and laurel and palm branches wrapped in a scroll bearing a motto in Latin translating to “Beauty Adorns Virtue.” Just as the juniper tree that frames Ginevra’s glowing, porcelain-skinned face puns on her name (“ginepro” is Italian for juniper), the sprig also serves to symbolize chastity. The laurel indicates her artistic, literary and intellectual interests; the palm represents moral virtue.
( Avtar Mota )
PS
*Altarpiece is a work of art that decorates the space above and behind the altar in a Christian church. Painting, relief, and sculpture in the round have all been used in altarpieces, either alone or in combination. These artworks usually depict holy personages, saints, and biblical subjects.
**Oil on panel is a painting technique that involves using a wooden panel as the support for an oil painting. This method was commonly used in Western art until the 15th century, when canvas became the preferred support in much of Europe. There were many great masters of this medium. Leonardo da Vince being the greatest.
