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The Virgin Mary sits on her mother's lap, her attention focused on the wriggling Christ Child. Her mother, Saint Anne, looks intently at her through deep-set eyes and points upwards to the heavens, indicating the child's divinity. Christ's cousin, Saint John the Baptist, leans against Anne's lap as the baby Christ tickles his chin.This large drawing was made in preparation for a painting, probably as a presentation drawing: a full-sized study of what the planned picture might look like, which could be shown to a patron, or group of patrons. It was, in a sense, intended as a work of art in its own right, unlike other cartoons that were typically used to physically transfer a design of the drawing to the support for painting. Often known as 'The Burlington House Cartoon’, it is the only surviving large-scale drawing by Leonardo.
The National Gallery, London
London
Title
The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne and the Infant Saint John the Baptist ('The Burlington House Cartoon')
Date
about 1506-1508
Medium
Charcoal with white chalk on paper, mounted on canvas
Accession number
NG6337
Acquisition method
Purchased with a special grant and contributions from the Art Fund, The Pilgrim Trust, and through a public appeal organised by the Art Fund, 1962
Work type
Drawing
The National Gallery, London
Trafalgar Square, London, Greater London WC2N 5DN England
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The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne and the Infant Saint John the Baptist ('The Burlington House Cartoon') The National Gallery, London -
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