Baptism of Christ
by Andrea del Verrocchio & Leonardo da Vinci
Baptism of Christ (Verrocchio and Leonardo) - Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence
Attribution Analysis
This is the foundational work for understanding Leonardo's emergence as an independent talent. X-radiography reveals a dramatic technical divide: Verrocchio's lead-based tempera passages appear clearly under X-ray, while Leonardo's oil sections are nearly invisible due to his use of non-lead pigments. The parts universally attributed to Leonardo include the left-hand angel (the blond figure turning toward the scene), the background landscape with atmospheric mountains, the water near Christ's feet, and significant portions of Christ's body. Verrocchio executed the Baptist figure, the initial compositional design, and Jesus' hands and loincloth.
Francesco Albertini's 1510 Memoriale explicitly mentions "uno Angelo di Leonardo Vinci," and Vasari's famous account claims Verrocchio was so humiliated by his pupil's superior angel that he "never wanted to touch colors again." While this is likely apocryphal, Verrocchio's painting output did effectively cease after this work. Carlo Ludovico Ragghianti (1954) proposed Botticelli's involvement in the right-hand angel, endorsed in 2022 by former Uffizi director Eike Schmidt. Jill Dunkerton's landmark 2011 National Gallery Technical Bulletin study confirmed the workshop's multi-stage execution.
Subject And Iconography
The painting depicts the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan (Matthew 3:13–17). Christ stands barefoot at center in contrapposto, hands clasped in prayer. The Baptist leans forward with a cross-staff bearing the scroll "ECCE AGNIUS." Two kneeling angels witness the event. Above, the Holy Spirit descends as a dove with golden rays from God's hands. A raptor flies away from the scene — interpreted as evil fleeing the sacred moment. The triangular composition places Christ at the apex, echoing Trinitarian symbolism.
Mysteries And Hidden Elements
Infrared reflectography revealed an entirely different original landscape beneath the current one, based on a symmetrical design with stratified rocks on both sides. Leonardo aggressively covered the left side, replacing it with his angel and atmospheric vista. The underdrawing for the angel Leonardo painted differs completely from Verrocchio's original plan. Quick sketches on the back of the panel, attributed to an unknown workshop artist, were also discovered.
Research & Analysis
Advanced Technical Analysis: This work contains Leonardo's earliest known use of sfumato-like techniques — softened contours achieved through translucent oil glazes, creating unprecedented atmospheric perspective. His deliberate leaving of Christ's left foot partly unfinished to suggest water transparency demonstrates advanced optical thinking. The painting reveals his revolutionary approach: while Verrocchio's tempera sections are opaque and sculptural, Leonardo's oil additions create luminous depth through layered translucency.