Leonardo da Vinci Paintings in London — Where to See Them

Leonardo da Vinci has a clear historical presence in London’s museums and exhibitions, but he never lived, trained or worked in the city himself. Leonardo spent his final years in France after entering the service of King Francis I in 1516 and died at Clos Lucé (Amboise) on 2 May 1519; he never resided in England. ¹ London is important to Leonardo’s afterlife because several of his works and workshop versions are in British collections — most notably The Virgin of the Rocks (the National Gallery, London) — and British institutions have organised major loans and landmark exhibitions about him. ²³ Key London moments include the National Gallery’s long-term display of The Virgin of the Rocks and the major exhibition “Leonardo da Vinci: Painter at the Court of Milan” (National Gallery, Oct 2011–Feb 2012), which assembled the largest group of Leonardo paintings to appear in London in modern times. ³ England has also been home to contested workshop pieces and copies associated with Leonardo (for example the so-called Isleworth Mona Lisa, a debated version believed to have arrived in England in the 18th century). These collections, loans and exhibitions shape how British audiences encounter Leonardo, even though the artist himself never trained, lived, or produced works in London. ¹²³⁴