Madonna Litta by Leonardo da Vinci
The Madonna Litta is one of only two paintings by Leonardo da Vinci in the Hermitage and one of the most beloved images of the Virgin from the Renaissance. The small panel shows Mary nursing the Christ Child against a dark wall pierced by two symmetrical arched windows.
A quiet, enclosed scene
Everything in the picture is concentrated and still. The mother gazes down at her son with tender absorption; the Child, pressed to her breast, turns toward the viewer and holds a goldfinch in his hand. That small bird is no accident: in Christian art the goldfinch is a symbol of the future Passion of Christ, so a calm domestic moment carries a hidden gravity.
The image is of the Madonna Lactans type — the Virgin nursing the Child — one of the warmest, most human subjects in religious painting. Through the windows you glimpse bluish mountains dissolving into haze, the sfumato landscape that is unmistakably Leonardo. There are no halos above the figures: the painter stresses the earthly, bodily reality of the scene, in sharp contrast with the Benois Madonna, which does have faint haloes.
Why it matters
Fewer than two dozen paintings are widely accepted as Leonardo’s, so holding two in a single room is something very few museums can claim. The Madonna Litta belongs to Leonardo’s Milan period, when he served at the Sforza court. It shows his signature soft modelling, the finest transitions of light and shade, and a perfectly balanced composition set within the calm rectangle of the windowed wall.
Dating and attribution
The painting is usually dated to about 1490–1491. It was executed in tempera and, in the 19th century and already in the Hermitage, transferred from its wooden panel onto canvas — a delicate operation that saved the cracking ground.
Its attribution remains debated: the design and the finest passages are linked to Leonardo himself, but many scholars allow for the involvement of his pupils (the name most often raised is Boltraffio). A preparatory drawing of the Madonna’s head in the Louvre is generally attributed to Leonardo and is taken as evidence of his hand in the conception. The Hermitage presents the work as by Leonardo da Vinci.
How it reached the Hermitage
The name comes from its last owners, the Milanese House of Litta. In 1865 Duke Antonio Litta sold the painting to the Imperial Hermitage for a then-enormous sum (around 100,000 francs). It has been one of the museum’s chief treasures ever since, and still draws a steady crowd.
Stories and facts
- Transferred to canvas. The original was painted on wood; to stop the paint layer flaking, the image was moved onto a new canvas — a craft for which the Hermitage was famous.
- An attribution debate. Some specialists see the hand of Leonardo’s pupils here; the discussion has run for more than a century.
- A clue in the Louvre. A preparatory drawing of a woman’s head in Paris is seen as proof of the master’s personal role in the design.
- A costly purchase. The 100,000 francs paid in 1865 shows how highly the name of Leonardo was already valued in the 19th century.
Related works
In the same room hangs Leonardo’s other painting, the Benois Madonna. For the wider collection see Italian Renaissance; nearby, in Room 230, stands the Crouching Boy by Michelangelo.
Which room it is in
The Madonna Litta is displayed in Room 214 — the Leonardo da Vinci room on the first floor. Use the floor plan to find it and the one-day itinerary to fit it into your visit.
FAQ
Which room is the Madonna Litta in? Room 214 (the Leonardo da Vinci room), on the first floor of the Main Museum Complex.
Who painted it? Traditionally Leonardo da Vinci (about 1490–1491); his pupils may have taken part.
Why is it called the Madonna Litta? After its last owners, the Litta family of Milan, from whom it was bought in 1865.
What is the Child holding? A goldfinch — a symbol of the future Passion of Christ.
How many Leonardos are in the Hermitage? Two: the Madonna Litta and the Benois Madonna, both in Room 214.
This is an unofficial, informational website. The display and availability of works can change — confirm details on the official museum website.