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Primary sourcePaintingc. 1494

Virgin of the Rocks

Leonardo da Vinci · c. 1494

A painting by Leonardo da Vinci of the Virgin Mary with the infant Christ, John the Baptist, and an angel, made with his workshop.

A second version of a famous composition, made amid a dispute, showing Leonardo's workshop practice.

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Painting of a Madonna in a rocky grotto. A woman in a blue cloak with a halo gazes downward. On the left, a small boy with a cross leans toward her; in front, an infant with a halo raises a hand; a winged angel with curly hair kneels at right. Blue lake and mountains show through an opening in the rocks; flowers grow in the foreground.
Leonardo da Vinci (with workshop), Virgin of the Rocks, c. 1494. National Gallery, London.

About this source

What it is

This is a painting by Leonardo da Vinci, the second version made for a confraternity in Milan. It is now in the National Gallery in London.

Why it matters

This version was painted during a legal dispute with the confraternity that had commissioned it, and shows signs of collaboration with Leonardo's workshop. It helps students see that even famous artists worked with assistants and had to negotiate payment and contracts.

Look closer

  • What differences might you expect between a painting made alone and one made with workshop help?
  • Why do you think the figures have haloes in this version?
  • What does the rocky, misty landscape add to the mood of the scene?

This painting is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Leonardo da Vinci on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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