Krans van laurier, palm en jeneverbes met een rol met het opschrift Virtutem Forma Decorat
c. 1474
Before he was painting enigmatic smiles, a 22-year-old Leonardo da Vinci designed this elegant heraldic device around 1474, likely for a jousting tournament in Florence. It features a swirling wreath of laurel, palm, and juniper—symbols of victory and purity—set against a dark, speckled background that looks like a night sky. A ribbon winds through the branches bearing the Latin motto 'Virtutem Forma Decorat,' which translates to 'Beauty adorns virtue.' The red wax seal in the corner gives it the feel of an official document, showing us that even as a young artist, Leonardo was already mastering the intricate details of the natural world with scientific precision.
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