Leonardo da Vinci's Three Most Famous Commissioned Works

Introduction: Da Vinci as Polymath and Artist

Leonardo da Vinci was born in 1452 and devoted his life to studying the laws of science alongside the practice of art. He is famous for his sketches and drawings depicting the human form and fantastical devices — such as flying machines — that were revolutionary for their time. He was also a master painter whose work spanned portraits and religious commissions alike. As an apprentice to an established artist, he acquired a wide range of skills that would later be applied across many different works (Biography, 2015). As a polymath, da Vinci was able to execute an exceptionally broad range of subjects, and his art took many different forms. This paper examines three of his most famous works — the Mona Lisa, the Last Supper, and Lady with an Ermine — outlining how each came about and what its significance is.

The Mona Lisa

Probably da Vinci's most famous work is the Mona Lisa. This painting is on display at the Louvre in Paris, and it is a portrait of Lisa Gherardini, wife of Francesco del Giocondo. Artists during this period often made their living painting portraits for the wealthy and powerful on a commission basis, and the Mona Lisa came about in exactly this way. On the surface, the painting is a fairly typical portrait, with nothing exceptional about the subject, her clothing, or her setting. The composition, however, was original for its time and was appreciated by fellow artists for qualities such as its realistic scale.

The subject's smile is considered one of the most important components of the work, as the expression of happiness was viewed as artistically significant. Also noteworthy is the way the background blends seamlessly into a wild landscape. All of these elements were considered distinctive and revolutionary at the time (Scaillierez, 2015).

The Last Supper

Another of da Vinci's celebrated works is The Last Supper, a depiction of the biblical final meal shared by Jesus and his apostles. If artists were not painting portraits for money, they were working on commission from the church, and da Vinci was no exception. The Last Supper was a common theme in Christian art, so it was not unusual that he would be commissioned to paint this scene for the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan. The work was commissioned by da Vinci's patron at the time.

The painting is rich with symbolism, a strong motif in the Christian tradition. The depicted moment is the instant at which Jesus announces that one of his disciples has betrayed him, and each apostle is shown with a distinct response to this news. Scholars note that Judas bears a different expression from the others — an allusion to his role as the betrayer.

Of particular interest is da Vinci's choice of medium: oil, which is less permanent than other available options. This decision means that The Last Supper today is in poor condition. It appears the artist knowingly chose a medium that would render the work ultimately impermanent, though his reasons for this remain unknown. There has been some restoration over the years, so it is not entirely clear how much of the current painting represents da Vinci's original hand (No author, 2015).

Conclusion: The Patron System and Da Vinci's Legacy

Da Vinci was, like many artists of his period, employed by a patron. Each of these three works — among his most famous — was a commissioned piece. This illustrates the nature of artistic practice at the time: an artist would rise to prominence during an apprenticeship, secure a patron, and then build a career through commissioned works. That these paintings would later become iconic is a testament to da Vinci's exceptional quality as an artist, because his professional circumstances were broadly similar to those of his contemporaries whose works did not achieve the same enduring fame.