The only drawing widely accepted as a self-portrait is a sketch in "Manuscript A," which is kept at the Institute de France in Paris. Created by da Vinci when he was 40, the portrait shows only the enigmatic silhouette of a man with a hat. Historic sources, including Vasari in his "The Lives of the Artists," describe Leonardo as "an artist of outstanding physical beauty." As he aged, portraits and reports suggest that the once-handsome Florentine genius wore the years on his face. Various sources report that at 60, da Vinci appeared much older. Moreover, several portraits depict the left-handed artist with his right hand hanging stiffly at his side, hinting at the paralysis that afflicted da Vinci during the last years of his life. "Di Marcillat's stained-glass portrait belongs to the typology of the old bearded man with a hat," said Vezzosi, referring to one of the five portrait types. "It certainly adds a new element to Leonardo's never-ending puzzle." Related Links: Watch Doing Da Vinci on the Discovery Channel, Mondays at 10 p.m. e/p. |
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