The life of Leonardo da Vinci by John William Brown

Catalogue of Leonardo's Works

In Germany

In the Imperial Gallery at Vienna - a picture of the Birth of our Saviour; and an Herodias.

In the collection of Prince Kaunitz the celebrated Leda and the Swan.

In the Gallery of Prince Lichtenstein, the Head of our Saviour. This is the picture so much praised by Winkelman as a model of manly beauty. At Dresden, in the Public Gallery, the portrait of Gian Jacopo Triulzio, General of the French Army under Francis I.

At Munich, in the Public Gallery, a painting of the Virgin.

At Potsdam, in the Public Gallery, a very fine picture of Vertumnus and Pomona.

In Russia

At St. Petersburgh, in the Emperor's collection at the Hermitage, a Holy Family.

There are several smaller pictures of less note, which are considered as the work of his Scholars, some of them perhaps finished upon his outlines.

In Spain

At Madrid, in the Royal Gallery - Jesus Christ brought before Pilate. Two pictures of the Virgin. A Head of St. John, This is most probably the picture that was in the collection of the Signora Angelica Kauffman, as most of her pictures were sent to Spain. A San Girolamo in the grotto.

In France

At Paris, in the Louvre - the portrait of Mona Lisa, wife of Francesco del Giocondo, a Florentine, usually called "La belle Joconde". This in generally considered as Leonardo's best work. It was purchased by Francis I. for four thousand gold downs, a sum which would now be equal to fortyfive thousand francs. In the background is a Landscape.

The portrait of a Lady, supposed to be Lucretia Crevelli. She is dressed in red.

A St. John holding the Cross in one hand, and pointing to Heaven with the other.

A Holy Family, representing the infant Jesus giving his benediction to St. John, who is presented to him by the Angel Gabriel. Also known as "The Virgin of the Rocks".

A Holy Family, representing the Archangel Michael presenting Jesus the scales to weigh the good and evil actions of man: he is seated on the Virgin's lap, and they are both looking at Elizabeth and John the Baptist playing with a lamb

Two pictures called Leonardo's, which are attributed rather to his school than to himself. One is St. John presenting the Cross of rushes to our Saviour. The other is St. Catherine of Alexandria at prayers.

A picture of the Virgin Mary sitting on the lap of St. Anne, our Saviour and St. John playing at their feet. This is undoubtedly an original of Leonardo's; but it has suffered very much from being over-cleaned, and is now greatly discoloured. The Chevalier Gault relates that Monsieur de Chamois possesses one of Da Vinci's pictures representing Joseph and Potiphar's wife. He also says there is a Group of Contadini in the Royer Gallery, but it exists there no longer.

The portrait of King Charles the Eighth of France, who died in 1497, for some time attributed to Leonardo, is now considered as the work of Perugino. There are also several pictures in private collections in Paris, esteemed the works of Leonardo da Vinci; but the author has endeavoured to name only those which are well known, and can be easily traced.

In England

The picture of Christ disputing with the Doctors of the President of the Royal Academy. As that grand work is so much destroyed, these drawings are of the highest interest.