How the image was formed
After the form was revealed by abrasion, the work continued with optical mixtures prepared from light ochre and titanium white tempera in carefully adjusted concentrations. Around 97% of the painting work is carried out with these mixtures. The bluish tone became apparent as this stage began. No ultramarine, blue or light-blue paint was used to create that tone. The stage is preserved in archival video.
The observation gives this particular painting a further dimension: the visible result can be studied alongside its recorded development. Research on Leonardo’s lead white offers a point of comparison. This work uses titanium white; the physical explanation of its effect remains a question for investigation. Research on Leonardo’s white pigments, 2020 ↗.
Look closely
Follow the transition from the lit cheek into shadow and observe how the face retains its volume.
Examine the eyes, then return to the whole face: the cool tone belongs to the wider balance of light and shadow.
Look at the surface and its transitions, where individual brushstrokes do not interrupt the image.
The work and its value
This painting brings together a demanding interpretation of Leonardo’s composition, the guild’s own method and a recorded history of how a distinctive visual effect emerged. The wooden icon panel forms part of the physical character of this contemporary work. Close looking reveals the decisions embodied in this particular painted object.
The work is authored by the guild, under the artistic direction of Leonid Lukin. Specialists contribute to a shared result, with final artistic review by the master. At present, the guild can undertake approximately five new commissions a year.
From the workshop archive
These photographs and recordings document stages and details of the work. Lighting and camera conditions vary between recordings.