Madonna with the Flower/Benois Madonna
Oil on panel, transferred to canvas, 49.5 x 33 cm, by Leonardo da Vinci, 1479–80
State Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg

With this picture, da Vinci revises the composition of a conventional religious scene by depicting the Christ child reaching for the flower held by Mary. This addition introduced a new element of tenderness and expressiveness to the work, and provided a focus on the relationship between the mother and child. Believed to be one of da Vinci's first independent works after he left del Verrocchio's studio, the painting is considered to be from the same period as the Madonna of the Carnation, although the latter has a number of notable differences, including the face of the Virgin and the background. The Madonna with the Flower also has two related drawings that are housed at the British Museum. Despite it being praised for its artistic qualities, including its composition, use of light and shadow, and emotional depth, the art historian Bernard Berenson gave this work a very unflattering critique, particularly towards the figures he found unattractive and lacking idealisation, and the painting's colour palette. It was last owned by Leon Benois before selling it to the Hermitage Museum in 1914.