Leonardo da Vinci “Portrait of a Musician” at Ambrosiana Gallery in Milan in Italy

Vinci, Portrait Musician

Leonardo da Vinci (14 April 1452 - 2 May 1519) “Portrait of a Musician”

Painting - Tempera and Oil on wood (44.7cm x 32cm) 1485

The “Portrait of a Musician” preserved at the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana in Milan is attributed to Leonardo da Vinci only for the part concerning the face.

It is believed that Giovanni Antonio Boltraffio painted the bust and hands.

By carefully observing these parts of the painting, we not only notice a specific stiffness in the execution that does not correspond to the quality of Leonardo da Vinci's work, but we also notice that they are incomplete.

Vinci, Portrait Musician The garment and the hat are reduced to their simplest expression.

This “Portrait of a Musician” would be the only portrait of a man painted by Leonardo da Vinci.

For a long time, it was thought it was a portrait of the Duke of Milan: Ludovico il Moro, Ludovic Sforza.

But when this portrait was restored in 1905, the hand and the score held by the character were discovered, which until then had both been covered with paint.

Vinci, Portrait Musician After this discovery, several hypotheses were put forward as to the possible identity of this musician.

For some, it would be Franchino Gaffurio, who was Kapellmeister at the Duomo of Milan and was also the same age as Leonardo da Vinci, with whom he was a friend.

This hypothesis is based on the fact that the inscription that can be read on the score: “CANT [OR] ANG [ELICVM],” would correspond to the Angelicus ac divinum, an opus composed by Franchino Gaffurio.

For others, it would be the Franco-Flemish composer Josquin des Prés.

Vinci, Portrait Musician These two musician-composers were part of Ludovic Sforza's court.

Also mentioned were the lutenist Francesco da Milano and the singer of Flemish origin, Giovanni Cordier.

A final hypothesis, quite probable, is that this portrait would be that of Atalante Miglioroti, Leonardo's Tuscan musician friend who had accompanied him to Milan as a singer and lyre player.

This was because Leonardo da Vinci had come to the Milan court as a musician; he himself would have taught music to Miglioroti, and he had taken him to Milan.

Vinci, Portrait Musician