Ginevra de' Benci, Leonardo da Vinci, National Gallery of Art. December 2021
Winter wandering memories - tales of two paintings
From the National Gallery website: (excerpt)
She was the daughter of a wealthy Florentine banker, and her portrait—the only painting by Leonardo da Vinci in the Americas—was probably commissioned about the time of her marriage at age 16. Leonardo himself was only about six years older.
I was 18, just three years younger than Leonardo da Vinci when he finished this painting. After getting settled into university life, I felt an obligation to take advantage of all the "culture" Washington, DC had to offer. I am not sure if the memories of "boredom" in my late high school years caused this or it was just a case of cabin fever, but I needed to get out of my dorm room on a cold, Washington winter day. Honestly, I "forced" myself to visit the National Gallery to learn how to "appreciate" art. Without any background, the experience was overwhelming, bordering on worthless. I realize now, 42 years later that art viewed without history and context is greatly diminished. Now when I view art, my questions are "what about the artist?" or ""what was the context of this work?". At 18, I only felt lost and ignorant.
I wandered the gallery hoping to find a connection to SOMETHING that I could understand, but just an array of strange images and unfamiliar names provided no assistance. I must thank my parents for NOT bringing me to the National Gallery as a child on our many trips to Washington museums because I might have disliked it and developed a negative image of the place. The Air and Space Museum and the Natural History Museum were good, thumbs up - I understood them. Now I was on my own, starting to be an adult. I wanted to understand life and "art" seemed to be something I should know about. Then, in a room with just some more "paintings", I saw a portrait of a woman by Leonardo da Vinci, a name I knew. Not only a name I knew, but an incredibly famous artist!
I remember being stunned that Ginevra's display was so low-key (and still is). Even now, on subsequent returns to the museum, I often make a point to visit her. On that first viewing, I felt like no one in the world (or at least in my world) knew that the National Gallery of Art held a da Vinci. These days, I almost wish to position myself next to the painting and tell people who whiz by, "hey, this is a da Vinci! It is the only one in the Western Hemisphere". Viewing Ginevra close up remains an amazing experience for me.
Of course, the ultimate da Vinci portrait is the Mona Lisa in the Louvre. By the time I visited Paris, she was already in her OWN ROOM behind plexiglass and a rope. In those days, there were no queues, just mobs of people. It was so.... not fun. Dear Ginevra, she lives in splendid anonymity by comparison. I did see the Mona Lisa with about 50 others. The experience fell flat. Not a highlight of the Louvre for me at all: Jaconde is adored by the multitudes from a distance. Ginevra likes her admirers close.
Then there is the OTHER da Vinci, Lady with an Ermine, which I have never seen in real life (she reposes in the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg, Russia). She is the "twin" of Ginevra as per art historians. What makes me laugh about this pair of paintings is the proof of their authenticity. Experts are not in the 100% Leonardo camp about them (unlike the Mona Lisa or the Last Supper), so highly likely to be da Vinci, yes - but 100%, no. However, what puts them in the "most likely to be" category is that they refer to each other. Ginevra de' Benci is most likely a da Vinci because she is so similar to Lady with an Ermine. However, Lady with an Ermine is most likely a da Vinci because.... she is so similar to Ginevra de' Benci. I am certainly not an art expert, but that is some incredibly circular logic. Whatever the case, I believe them BOTH to be Leonardo's work because that is what I want to believe.
My 60 year old self is still overwhelmed in art galleries, but who wouldn't be? Of course, museums preserve art for the ages. However, viewing a hundred paintings over the course of a couple of hours is as useful as a sumptuous buffet where guests are given a spoonful of each dish one after another with no explanation. Then again, who doesn't like a buffet on occasion, right?