Grotesque Head of an Old Woman

Leonardo da Vinci, 1489/1490

This drawing shows a profile of a woman's head and upper torso, facing the right. The woman appears old, with wrinkly skin and white hair gathered into a bun. She has a wrinkled, sloping brow, a pointed, upturned nose, and thin, downturned lips. She has a hunch in her back, and the skin on her neck sags. She wears a low-cut, off-the-shoulder garment that appears to have laces in the front. A flower appears to be stuck between her breasts. The background is plain, off-white paper within a rectangular gold border.
Artist
Leonardo da Vinci
Date
1489/1490
Type
Drawing
Medium
pen and brown ink on laid paper; laid down
Dimensions
6.4 × 5.1 cm
Collection
National Gallery of Art, Washington
Licence
Public domain, CC0

Image description

This drawing shows a profile of a woman's head and upper torso, facing the right. The woman appears old, with wrinkly skin and white hair gathered into a bun. She has a wrinkled, sloping brow, a pointed, upturned nose, and thin, downturned lips. She has a hunch in her back, and the skin on her neck sags. She wears a low-cut, off-the-shoulder garment that appears to have laces in the front. A flower appears to be stuck between her breasts. The background is plain, off-white paper within a rectangular gold border.

Leonardo da Vinci