Reproductie van Leonardo da Vinci, Johannes de Doper, Louvre 1907 - 1935

This reproduction of Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘John the Baptist’ is by an anonymous artist. It’s a photo, small, silvery, and caught in the amber of time. The anonymous artist seems to have thought, “Okay, how can I get at the essence of Leonardo?” The answer is in the dreamy chiaroscuro. Look at how the light seems to emanate from John, how his skin glows in contrast to the dark background. The artist lets the light, and not the detail, describe the scene. I keep thinking about the original, and how it’s also a reproduction of a type, of a tradition. This copy is a copy of a copy, receding into time like a set of mirrors. It’s like the artist is saying, “Here’s a little piece of history, a whisper of the Renaissance.” It reminds me of Sherrie Levine’s re-photographs, which asked questions about originality and authorship. It’s all up for grabs, isn’t it?