The Death of Leonardo da Vinci

Art Historical Context

This etching and engraving, created around 1825, depicts the death of Leonardo da Vinci in 1519 while under the patronage of King Francis I of France. The print brings together the precise hand of engraver Joseph Théodore Richomme with the neoclassical vision of Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres, whose clean lines and balanced compositions lent themselves beautifully to reproductive printmaking. The scene gathers men, women, and children around the artist’s bedside, emphasizing both personal loss and the passing of a Renaissance giant. Etching and engraving techniques allowed such historical subjects to reach broad audiences in the nineteenth century, preserving dramatic moments with remarkable detail and tonal depth. Ingres’s involvement reflects the era’s fascination with earlier masters; neoclassicists often looked to the Renaissance for ideals of beauty, intellect, and cultural achievement. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum’s Department of Drawings and Prints, this work continues to invite viewers to reflect on Leonardo’s enduring legacy and the power of print to keep great stories alive.

About the Artist

Joseph Théodore Richomme|Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres|Leonardo da Vinci (French|French|Italian) · 1785 |1780 |1452 –1849 |1867 |1519

French, Paris 1785–1849 Paris|French, Montauban 1780–1867 Paris|Italian, Vinci 1452–1519 Amboise