The Battle of Anghiari
by LEONARDO da Vinci

The Republic of Florence, which came into being in 1494, decided to create an assembly hall for their most important political committee, the "High Council", which was suited to the requirements and pretensions of the new republic. The majority of the construction work on the Sala del Gran Consiglio in the Florentine Palazzo Vecchio had been completed shortly before 1500. The pictorial program was to include two large wall paintings intended to express the self confidence of the new republic. It was planned that two important victories from recent Florentine history should be depicted: the Battle of Anghiari and the Battle of Cascina. The choice of artist had to measure up to the importance of the commission, and the decision was made in favour of two of the most highly esteemed Florentine artists of the age, Leonardo da Vinci and the young Michelangelo.

Neither of the two artists completed his works and we only know of their projects indirectly by their being mentioned in documents, or in the form of copies or sketches that have been associated with the project.

Suggested listening (streaming mp3, 12 minutes):
Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber: The Battle, suite

Preview Picture Data File Info Comment
The Battle of Anghiari (detail)
1503-05
Black chalk, pen and ink, watercolour on paper, 452 x 637 mm
Musée du Louvre, Paris

1030*708
True Color
156 Kb



The Battle of Anghiari (detail)
1503-05
Oil on canvas
Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence

857*605
True Color
68 Kb



The Battle of Anghiari (copy of a detail)
1503-05
Drawing
Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence

1061*703
True Color
143 Kb



Battle of Anghiari (Tavola Doria)
1503-05
Oil on panel, 85 x 115 cm
Formerly private collection, Munich (lost)

1091*775
True Color
132 Kb



Group of riders in the Battle of Anghiari
1503-04
Black chalk, white highlights, 160 x 197 mm
Royal Library, Windsor

1030*821
True Color
89 Kb



Study of battles on horseback and on foot
1503-04
Pen and ink on paper, 160 x 152 mm
Gallerie dell'Accademia, Venice

858*898
True Color
105 Kb



Study of battles on horseback and on foot
1503-04
Pen and ink on paper, 145 x 152 mm
Gallerie dell'Accademia, Venice

903*839
True Color
100 Kb



Study of battles on horseback
1503-04
Pen and ink on paper
Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence

704*1024
True Color
113 Kb



Study of horses for the Battle of Anghiari
1503-04
Traces of black and red chalk, pen and ink, wash on paper, 196 x 308 mm
Royal Library, Windsor

1106*703
True Color
95 Kb



Rearing horse
1503-04
Red chalk and pencil, 153 x 142 mm
Royal Library, Windsor

802*881
True Color
50 Kb



Head studies
1504-05
Metalpoint, black and red chalk on paper, 191 x 188 mm
Szépművészeti Múzeum, Budapest

896*936
True Color
120 Kb



Head of a Warrior ('The Red Head')
1504-05
Red chalk on brownish paper, 226 x 186 mm
Szépművészeti Múzeum, Budapest

706*850
True Color
99 Kb




Summary of works by Leonardo
Paintings
early work | in the 1480s | in the 1490s | late work | copies
Studies to paintings
Battle of Anghiari | studies (1) | studies (2) | heads | various
Other studies
anatomy | nature | engineering | maps | architecture | sculpture