Virgin of the Rocks (London)

Italian painter Leonardo da Vinci painted this second version of Virgin of the Rocks between 1495 and 1508, completing the commission he'd originally received in 1483. After selling the first version, Leonardo and his assistants created this replacement for the Confraternity of the Immaculate Conception's chapel in San Francesco Grande, Milan.

Several differences distinguish this from the Louvre version. The angel no longer points or stares at the viewer. Halos appear above the holy figures. John the Baptist carries his traditional cross-staff. The colors are cooler and the lighting more even. Scholars debate how much Leonardo painted himself versus his workshop.

When Napoleon suppressed Milanese religious institutions, the painting was sold. Scottish painter Gavin Hamilton bought it in 1785 and brought it to England. The National Gallery acquired it in 1880, where it remains a centerpiece of their Renaissance collection.