Siegfried Woldhek: The true face of Leonardo Da Vinci? | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

Through an analysis of Leonardo da Vinci's drawings and portraits, it is discovered that three portraits match the characteristics of a self-portrait, providing a glimpse into the face of the renowned artist.

Key Insights

• 🎨 Leonardo da Vinci, the iconic artist, is known for his incredible work, but there has been controversy surrounding his actual appearance.
• 🎭 Despite not having any confirmed self-portraits, it is hard to believe that a passionate drawer like Leonardo would not have drawn his own face.
• 🔍 By analyzing over 700 of his drawings, around 120 male portraits were found, but only three candidates fit the criteria of being self-portraits.
• 👤 These three portraits, including the famous "Homo Vitruvianus" and "The Musician," show remarkable similarities in facial features such as the broad forehead, long nose, and curved lips.
• 📅 The order in which the portraits were created aligns with Leonardo's age, further validating their authenticity.
• 🗿 A statue of David, in which Leonardo posed as a young boy, serves as a reference point that confirms the resemblance between the statue's face and the musician's face.
• 💡 This groundbreaking discovery, revealed for the first time at TED, finally gives Leonardo da Vinci a face and solidifies his iconic identity.
• 🌟 This finding, made by an artist with extensive experience drawing and analyzing faces, adds a new dimension to Leonardo's legacy and offers a deeper understanding of the artist himself.

Transcript

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Questions & Answers

Q: How did the speaker go about identifying potential self-portraits of Leonardo da Vinci?

The speaker examined over 700 of Leonardo's drawings, specifically focusing on male portraits that were done en face or three-quarters, sufficiently detailed, and were not ugly or caricatures. Only three portraits matched these criteria, suggesting they could be self-portraits.

Q: What evidence supports the claim that the three portraits are of Leonardo da Vinci himself?

Comparing the three portraits to a widely accepted statue of Leonardo as a boy, created by Verrocchio, reveals striking similarities in facial features. The statue serves as a reference point that connects Leonardo's identity to the three portraits.

Q: Why was it challenging to determine the true face of Leonardo da Vinci?

Despite Leonardo's prolific artistic output, he did not create many distinct self-portraits. This, along with controversy surrounding existing portraits attributed to Leonardo, has made it difficult to ascertain his true appearance.

Q: What is significant about the order in which the three portraits were created?

The order of creation aligns with the expected chronology of a younger portrait followed by two older ones. This further supports the idea that these portraits could be self-portraits of Leonardo at different stages of his life.

Q: How does the discovery of these potential self-portraits impact our understanding of Leonardo da Vinci?

The unveiling of these portraits provides the first visual representation of Leonardo da Vinci and adds a new dimension to our understanding of the iconic artist. It allows us to humanize and connect with him on a more personal level.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Leonardo da Vinci, known for his diverse works, including drawings, paintings, and inventions, has long been a faceless icon.

• By examining more than 700 of Leonardo's drawings, three portraits emerge as potential self-portraits based on specific criteria.

• These portraits exhibit striking similarities, with features such as a broad forehead, horizontal eyebrows, long nose, curved lips, and a small, well-developed chin.