That conclusion comes as no surprise to some art historians.
"I think this is a very interesting study, though it doesn't really add much to our knowledge," said Alessandro Vezzosi, director of the Museo Ideale in the Tuscan town of Vinci, where the artist was born. "It confirms from a scientific point of view what scholars had already long known."
Da Vinci himself mentioned his painting technique, known as 'sfumato' — from the Italian word 'fumo', meaning smoke — in his notes on painting.
"Light and shade should blend without lines or borders, in the manner of smoke," he wrote.
According to Vezzosi, it is no surprise that the Renaissance genius did not use the palette.
"Color dilution was very important for Leonardo. He put a lot of effort in preparing the colors, so he did not have to mix them on the palette. Often, he did not use the brush either. He applied the thin layer of colors using his thumb. He used this technique often in his later work, especially on the Mona Lisa," Vezzosi said.
Related Links:
Ecaart 2007
An art history timeline from the Met
The science of da Vinci
