Portrait of a Musician
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| Portrait of a Musician |
| Leonardo da Vinci, 1490 |
| Oil on wood panel |
| 45 × 32 cm |
| Pinacoteca Ambrosiana, Milan |
Portrait of a Musician is an oil on wood painting often attributed to Leonardo Da Vinci by some scholars. It was probably painted in 1490.
The man in the painting was at one time thought to be Franchino Gaffurio, who was the maestro di cappella of the Milanese Cathedral. Although some believe it to be a portrait of Gaffurio, others think the man is anonymous. The piece of paper he holds is at least one part of a musical score; it has notes written on it. The painting was greatly restored and repainted, and Leonardo probably left the portrait unfinished but close to completion.
The man is positioned in a three-quarter position and he is holding a partition sheet. The musician stares at something outside the spectator's field of vision. Compared to the detailed face of the musician, the red hat, his tunic and his hair seem to be painted by a completely other painter. Art historians have recognized the fine art of da Vinci in the young man's face, though the partition sheet and his hand may have been added on to the original work. The principal difference between this work and his last portrait, of Ginevra De' Benci, is the fact that in this one, the hands and the lower part of the chest are drawn.
