CHAU Nga Sze (Alison) talks on da Vinci's "Virgin And Child With Cat"

1) INTRODUCE THE DRAWING IN GENERAL TERMS

It is Virgin And Child With Cat by Leonardo da Vinci, which was finished at around 1480.

This is a work of pen and ink.

•What is the subject matter or general theme of the work?
It may be a figure drawing.


•What is the purpose of the drawing? (eg Is it a diagram that explains how something works? Does it record  accurately record the appearance of something? Does it express the artist's emotion or memory? )
It seems to be a draft of a painting but actually there is no painting of Virgin and Child with cat.

Leonardo worked on a number of drawings like this theme.

2) DESCRIBE THE DRAWING IN DETAIL
•How is line used? What does it do/express?
The drawing is dominated with lines. The use of lines help to suggest the space, the gesture and the movement. The thin lines also help to create a background for the figure. We can see that there are many reworked lines, it just like to correct the position of the subject.


•How is tone used? What does it do/express?
The drawing is in black and white. The tone of gray is dominated in the drawing although the lines are in black. Because the ink wash was gray in color, the drawing will not be too dark or too bright. And the gray color has moderate the contrast between the background and the foreground.


•What can you say about shape and/or form in this picture? What is the effect?
da Vinci use lines to create the shape and the composition of the drawing. The lines is calligraphy-like with both thin and thick forms. The reworked and overlapped lines create the sense of movement, the movement of twisting and turning. da Vinci use lines to relocated the pose and gesture of the figure. Furthermore, the thick and repeated lines help to form the shape of the subject.


•Is texture a feature of the drawing?
Texture may not be a feature of the drawing.


•What can you say about the composition of the drawing? What is the effect of this type of composition on the overall drawing?
The figure forms the shape of pyramid-like, which suggest the sense of stability. However, it somehow has the feel of incline as the left bottom corner just include few lines so that it is not so balance to some extent. But I think daVinci use the background, the round-topped window, to help to maintain the balance.


•Is rhythm important in this picture? If so, say more about it...
Yes. The lines create the movement of the figure. They are also rhythimatic, especially at the part of Virgin's hand and legs.


•Is the picture balanced? Explain...
Somehow it is balanced as the above mentioned it is like a shape of pyramid. The body of Virgin seems to be balance with the child and the cat through the use of lines on Virgin's clothes and the body of the cat.
Also, the head of Virgin looking right balanced with the child and the cat looking left.
On the other hand, again as I mentioned above, when we do not look at the composition with the background, it seems to be not so balance due to little lines on the left bottom corner. So it make the figure become tilt.


•Is perspective used in the picture? If so, describe the way that the illusion of three-dimensional space has been created.
A round-topped window was sketched to indicate an interior setting. Ink wash was also applied in the drawing to create the three-dimensional form of the figures.


•Is the picture harmonious? If so, in what way?
Hard to say it is harmonious or not. Because the lines create the sense of messy but the movement is not too strong. Also, the tone is moderate with little contrast. But in my own opinion, I think it is a harmonious work. Firstly, it may because of the subject of the picture. Secondly, I think the ink wash also help to create the harmony of the work.


•Are there any strong contrasts in the picture? Say more...
The contrast in the picture is not too strong. There is gradation of tone.


3) INTERPRETATION AND EVALUATION
•What is the mood of the drawing? Justify your answer using information from your responses above
Some sense of depressed may be created in the drawing. Because the head of Virgin seemed to look down but on the other hand turn left, just like she has some worries. Also, the child graspping the cat which struggle to escape also suggest this sad mood.


•What does the drawing express? Justify your answer using information from your responses above
da Vinci made a number of drawing for this theme, may be he was trying some new form of expression through working on these series of work. Although it liked a draft, but the proportion of the bodies is still perfect and accurate, it is uundoubtedly the superiority of da Vinci. He is good at anatomy. So I think da Vinci still want to express the perfct proportion of body in the drawing even though it is not a painting. May be it is also the practices for him.


•In your opinion, why is this work interesting/moving/ clever/ imaginative/thought-provoking/......?  Choose the adjective(s) that best fit(s) the work, and then justify your conclusion in terms of specific features and qualities of the drawing.
The drawing impressed me first by its use of lines. It is quite interesting to create sense of movement by using reworking of lines. Then, the drawing seemed to be a draft, but it is a finished work. The simple light and shade can create such a three-dimensional perspective. I really appreciate with the skills and style of da Vinci.
In addition, it help me to think that our lecturer always encourage us not to afraid of drawing wrong, adjustment can always be made during the process of drawing. From this work, I think I get the meaning of this idea because there are many reworked lines. When I working with the sketch of life drawing, I also work with repeated lines and adjustment are always be made in order to draw the subject in more accurately way. But I did not create the sense of movement that da Vinci created in his drawing, so that it is really a good drawing.



Reference:

The British Museum:

http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/pd/l/leonardo_da_vinci,_virgin_and.aspx