BS: 'Inscription' on Leonardo's 'Virgin'?

Subject: BS: 'Inscription' on Leonardo's 'Virgin'?
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 21 Nov 11 - 06:26 AM

Annotations of the two versions of Leonardo's The Virgin Of The Rocks, Louvre & National Gallery London, prominent in the current National Gallery Exhibition, "Leonardo da Vinci, the Milan years", refer to an inscription "Ecce Agnus Dei" appearing on the 'scroll' of John the Baptist, the infant on the left of the painting, in the later {London} version.

I have studied several reproductions of the painting, and cannot locate this scroll, or its inscription.

Can anyone find it and direct my eye as to where to look, please?

~Michael~

Subject: RE: BS: 'Inscription' on Leonardo's 'Virgin'?
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 21 Nov 11 - 06:53 AM

Google image search for Leonardo Virgin of the Rocks

Restored Leonardo Masterpiece on Display at the National Gallery in London (last par) The restoration process has provided the opportunity for a comprehensive study of 'The Virgin of the Rocks' by the National Gallery's Scientific, Conservation and Curatorial departments, with the findings being published online in the National Gallery's Technical Bulletin in September 2011. The Gallery will expand its initial research on Leonardo himself to include the systematic investigation of Leonardo's Milanese pupils, collaborators and followers.

National Gallery Technical Bulletin 32 -a special issue devoted to the work of Leonardo da Vinci see article Leonardo da Vinci's 'Virgin of the Rocks': Treatment, Technique and Display by Larry Keith, Ashok Roy, Rachel Morrison and Peter Schade - download .pdf of the article & view high resolution images

sandra

Subject: RE: BS: 'Inscription' on Leonardo's 'Virgin'?
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 21 Nov 11 - 07:10 AM

Many thanks, Sandra. Lots of images, but I still didn't manage to find that precise detail. The second link was "Not Found", however. Will try the hi-def images refd to in third.

Subject: RE: BS: 'Inscription' on Leonardo's 'Virgin'?
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 21 Nov 11 - 07:17 AM

Even there, alas, despite the high resolution and extensive text, I just could not locate the scroll or its inscription in any of the images, or any ref to it in the text.

It must surely be there somewhere ~~ it is constantly ref'd to in commentaries &c. So why, I wonder, is it so hard to find?

Again, many thanks to Sandra for all her trouble.

~M~

Subject: RE: BS: 'Inscription' on Leonardo's 'Virgin'?
From: bobad
Date: 21 Nov 11 - 07:33 AM

MtheGM, you can zoom in on the high res image and if you do so you will see the scroll in the hands of StJtheB, all that is visible of the inscription is ECCE A.

Subject: RE: BS: 'Inscription' on Leonardo's 'Virgin'?
From: Charley Noble
Date: 21 Nov 11 - 07:48 AM

Be careful not to zoom in too closely on" the virgin;" that's how Nelson was said to have lost his eye.

Cheerily,
Charley Ignoble

Subject: RE: BS: 'Inscription' on Leonardo's 'Virgin'?
From: frogprince
Date: 21 Nov 11 - 08:12 AM

It's a very oddly handled detail. I would have been more apt to identify it as lettering worked into his mother's clothing, above and behind his hand, with more lettering below his hand.

Subject: RE: BS: 'Inscription' on Leonardo's 'Virgin'?
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 21 Nov 11 - 08:38 AM

I can't make a blicky to the second link as the URL is too long, but here it is again

http://www.artknowledgenews.com/2010-07-16-22-44-32-restored-leonardo-masterpiece-on-display-at-the-national-gallery-in-london.html

and here's another story on the exhibition from the same site

http://www.artknowledgenews.com/10_11_2011_01_02_05_the_national_gallery_in_london_shows_a_major_exhibition_of_leonardo_da_vinci.html

[the 'tml' was omitted from html in the original link- I fixed it]]

Subject: RE: BS: 'Inscription' on Leonardo's 'Virgin'?
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 21 Nov 11 - 11:03 AM

Many thanks to all for help ~~ yes, can just about make out scroll; but, as Bobad says, inscription as quoted does not seem to be complete.

Very grateful to him and Sandra in particular for helpful responses.

~Michael~

Subject: RE: BS: 'Inscription' on Leonardo's 'Virgin'?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 21 Nov 11 - 11:10 AM

http://www.artknowledgenews.com/2010-07-16-22-44-32-restored-leonardo-masterpiece-on-display-at-the-national-gallery-in-london.html


http://www.artknowledgenews.com/10_11_2011_01_02_05_the_national_gallery_in_london_shows_a_major_exhibition_of_leonardo_da_vinci.html

John

Subject: RE: BS: 'Inscription' on Leonardo's 'Virgin'?
From: frogprince
Date: 21 Nov 11 - 03:26 PM

It looks like part of the inscription is on a trailing end of the "scroll" (I would just have said ribbon) hanging down from his hand.

Subject: RE: BS: 'Inscription' on Leonardo's 'Virgin'?
From: GUEST,999
Date: 21 Nov 11 - 03:41 PM

I zoomed in closely and it reads Made in China.

Subject: RE: BS: 'Inscription' on Leonardo's 'Virgin'?
From: EBarnacle
Date: 21 Nov 11 - 05:09 PM

There is a short story, I believe by Bradbury, about the play of light in the background of the painting.

Subject: RE: BS: 'Inscription' on Leonardo's 'Virgin'?
From: GUEST,999
Date: 21 Nov 11 - 11:38 PM

EB, do you maybe mean 'The Smile'?

Subject: RE: BS: 'Inscription' on Leonardo's 'Virgin'?
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 22 Nov 11 - 04:43 AM

I vaguely remember that story

Subject: RE: BS: 'Inscription' on Leonardo's 'Virgin'?
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 22 Nov 11 - 04:59 AM

But I think that story is predicated on the background to one of Leonardo's other famous paintings, Mona Lisa ~ aka La Gioconda = The Smiling Woman ~ rather than that of Virgin Of The Rocks?

~M~

Subject: RE: BS: 'Inscription' on Leonardo's 'Virgin'?
From: EBarnacle
Date: 22 Nov 11 - 09:16 AM

The Smile is based on La Gioconda. The story was actually written by Arthur C. Clarke. I still have not chased down the title.