The Virgin of the Rocks Restored

One of the first paintings by Leonardo da Vinci, The Virgin of the Rocks, is once again on display at the National Gallery in London after undergoing a restoration that lasted one and a half years. This work is regarded by many art critics and experts as the masterpiece of the Italian artist. After thoroughly examining other works, experts at the National Gallery arrived at the conclusion that a varnish that had been applied during a 1949 restoration was unstable and prone to turning yellow. Thus, the subtle tonal ranges in the darker areas could not be fully appreciated, and the sense of the space that Da Vinci had conveyed was hidden under the cracked protective coat and the dust absorbed by the cerulean surface. With the majority of the varnish removed, the colors of the work can now be better appreciated, particularly in the dark areas of the painting where they appear more saturated. Another outcome of the restoration is that the experts have been able to confirm that the work does present several degrees of completion across the entire surface; while the hand of the angel was barely sketched, the heads of the central figures, on the other hand, are completely defined. Some Renaissance experts explained the various levels of completion and rendering of this second version of The Virgin of the Rocks by claiming the involvement of some of Leonardo's assistants in the execution of the painting. At present, however, it appears possible that Da Vinci actually painted the entire work by himself and had probably decided to finish the parts that he solely sketched at another time. The restoration was performed by a team from the National Gallery, not without first asking the advice of other European and U.S. experts. Specialists at the Louvre Museum ¿ that houses an earlier version of the same work ¿ were also consulted.