Maiden with Unicorn

Leonardo Vinci, da (after)

Summary

A reproduction produced by the Vasari Society of a drawing by Leonardo da Vinci. The drawing shows a composition sketch in the upper half of the work. The composition plan is drawn within a rectangle and shows a woman to the left and facing towards the right with her hands raised to waist height and facing downwards. She looks out towards the viewer. To the right and beneath the woman's hands is a unicorn lying on the ground. The body of the unicorn recesses into the background, but the head is on the same plan as the woman, and it faces towards the left looking up at her. In the background is a suggestion of a mountainous landscape and trees. Below this compositional plan is another sketch of a woman. Text from the accompanying booklet produced by the Vasari Society: "No. 2 LEONARDO DA VINCI (b. 1452, d. 1519) ALLEGORY. MAIDEN WITH UNICORN British Museum, 1860-6-16-98. On the reverse of No.1 27.3 x 19 cm. (10 3/4 x 7 1/2 in.) (a) Pen and bistre. Within a rectangle a maiden is represented sitting and fondling a unicorn, which is seated on the group beside her with its head in her lap. (b) Black chalk. Below, within a rectangle, is a variant of the same composition in black chalk. Very indistinct. The head of the maiden is seen in two positions. The figure is somewhat more turned towards the spectator than in (a), and the unicorn is on the left of the picture. Here apparently the creature has a collar, and the horn is not visible. The drawings belong to the first Florentine period. There is a drawing by Leonardo at Oxford, in the University Galleries, of the same subject, and of about the same date, which is somewhat inferior in vigour and freedom of execution. Whether, as would naturally seem to be the case, the allegory is to be interpreted as signifying chastity, or rather the reverse, is perhaps doubtful, because in one of the notes by Leonardo on the habits of animals, which occurs in MS. H of the Institut, written in about the year 1494, and which is closely derived from the medieval collection, 'Fiore di Virtù,' the Unicorn is represented as the symbol of incontinence. EDWARD McCURDY."