The face of Frederick of Montefeltro, Duke of Urbino, designed by Leonardo Da Vinci in a blood sketch. This is the great discovery unveiled during the 30th edition of the International Conference Leonardo The Immortal Light, which took place in recent days at Li Madou Palace di Ancona. This formidable find was possible thanks to the study conducted by Annalisa DiMaria, one of the leading experts on Leonardo Da Vinci and the Neoplatonic Renaissance, by the international researcher and sculptor Andrew of Montefeltro, signatory of the find, by the president of the Autography Association - Certifying Calligraphy Experts, Stephen Fortunati and by dr. Fabio DiCenso, ophthalmologist and director of the ophthalmological operating unit in Sulmona, who certified the lack of the right eye on the subject depicted.
The drawing, made on a sheet kept at the Venerable Ambrosian Library of Milan, is one of the rare depictions in which Federico da Montefeltro is "taken back" from his right profile. As is known, in fact, the great leader and gonfaloniere of the pope lost his right eye due to an accident. The episode may have occurred in 1451, during a tournament organized in Urbino, in honor of Francesco Sforza, new Duke of Milan. As you remember Annalisa DiMaria"Federico was wounded between the eyebrows by a blow that severed his nasal bone and penetrated his right eye. Since then the profile of the Duke of Urbino became unmistakable”. Federico da Montefeltro had forbidden all the artists of his court to portray him from the offended side. In fact, as can be seen in the famous portrait of Piero della Francesca, the Duke is portrayed from the left side.
Furthermore, Federico had expressed the desire to accentuate that "eagle" nose. The eagle was in fact one of the symbols of the duchy and referred to the birth of the territory of Montefeltro, as well as to myth of Jupiter, father of the Gods, whose symbol was the eagle.
When did Federico da Montefeltro and Leonardo Da Vinci meet?
Unfortunately, there are no official documents proving a meeting between Leonardo Da Vinci and Federico da Montefeltro. The only proof that the two met is the red blood sketch made by Leonardo. The master arrived in Florence in 1469 to study at the workshop of Verrocchio. There he met Sandro Botticelli and other important personalities of the time. As recalled again by Di Maria: “To go to Verrocchio's workshop, Leonardo passed in front of Vespasiano da Bisticci's bookshop, a meeting place for the men of letters of the time, also frequented by Leonardo. Federico da Montefeltro was one of Vespasiano's most loyal customers. It is therefore very likely that the two met right there."
Naturally it is not possible to date Leonardo's work with certainty, since the master used to go back to his sheets several times. Leonardo, attracted by particular faces, must have memorized the disfigured profile of Federico da Montefeltro, and then made the sketch after the latter's death, in 1502, while he was in Urbino following Cesare Borgia. However, the master could have already made it in 1469, at the time of their meetings. According to the handwriting expertise of Dr. Stephen Fortunati, the drawing by Federico da Montefeltro is prior to the writing on the sheet. This confirms the custom of Leonardo di reuse its sheets. Unfortunately, there are no names or references to certain lords of the time, which can allow us to date the writing precisely.
The studies of Annalisa Di Maria and Andrea Da Montefeltro not only show Leonardo's bond with the great personalities of his time. They also manage to reveal fragments of everyday life of the Florentine genius, thanks to the accurate analysis of his works and sketches. As always, Leonardo Da Vinci is an inexhaustible source of wonder.
