Ginevra de' Benci [obverse]

Ginevra de' Benci [obverse] by Leonardo da Vinci, created between 1474 and 1478, is a pivotal work in the early development of Renaissance portraiture. Executed in oil on panel, this painting represents one of the few confirmed portraits by the artist and is a prime example of the innovative techniques emerging in the Italian artistic scene during the period spanning 1401 to 1500. This piece is historically significant as it is believed to commemorate the engagement of Ginevra de' Benci, a member of a prominent Florentine family, combining realistic detail with sophisticated symbolism.

The painting captures the sitter in a three-quarter pose, a compositional choice that was still relatively novel for Florentine artists at the time. Vinci utilizes subtle sfumato around the contours of the sitter’s face, demonstrating his early experimentation with atmospheric perspective and softening the transition between light and shadow. The meticulous rendering of detail, particularly in the drapery and the sitter's cool, detached expression, provides deep psychological insight, setting it apart from more formalized contemporary portraits. While the panel has suffered damage resulting in the loss of a lower section, the visible juniper bush behind Ginevra symbolically references her name (the Italian word for juniper is ginepro), underscoring the work's layered meaning.

This extraordinary work, one of the earliest securely dated paintings by Vinci, is housed in the collection of the National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C., where it remains one of the most frequently studied and reproduced images by the artist. Due to its status as a major historical artwork, the image is often referenced by researchers, and high-quality prints of this Renaissance masterwork are widely available through public domain initiatives, ensuring its accessibility for study and appreciation worldwide.