“There is nothing as mysterious as something clearly seen.”
Completed between 1513 and 1516, it is now exhibited at the Musée du Louvre in Paris, France. Derived from a lost Leonardo painting of the Angel of the Annunciation, St. John proclaims the arrival of Christ directly to the spectator, exuding an air of cosmic mystery.
The atmospheric mood of the work is largely due to the impressive use of sfumato, or “smoky” effect, achieved by Leonardo through technical experiment and the scientific study of light and shade during the final years of his career. By applying layers of thin translucent varnish, the artist created a wide range of shadows, blurring the contours into soft transitions between light and shade to achieve an unprecedented plasticity in the figure.
St. John appears to be illuminated by an unknown light source outside the painting, as gentle shadows imbue his skin with a soft and delicate appearance.
Recent discovery about Leonardo's technique
Scientists have discovered how Leonardo managed to achieve his trademark smoky effect, known as sfumato, on the painting - by applying up to 40 layers of extremely thin glaze.
Using X-rays to study Leonardo's paintings, the researchers were able to see how the layers of glaze and paint had been built up to varying levels on different areas of the picture. With the drying times for the glaze taking months, such effects would have taken years to achieve.
The scientists also suspect that he used his fingers to apply the glaze as there are no visible brush marks or contours.
Da Vinci is known to have employed the sfumato effect to seamlessly blend shading and blur outlines, but the exact techniques used have long intrigued art experts.
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