Among the many Leonardo da Vinci paintings, one subject stands out – the Madonna. She appeared in several works of the great Leonardo; some were commissioned by the church and others by royal or wealthy families in Italy. One Leonardo da Vinci painting, “Madonna of the Rocks” if very similar to another Leonardo da Vinci painting called “Virgin of the Rocks.” There was some controversy that one of them was not authentic. However, the variety of techniques and brush strokes could only be contributed to the great Renaissance man himself.

One of the great mysteries of Leonardo da Vinci paintings is perhaps the most famous painting in the art world – the “Mona Lisa.” Who was she really and what was she smiling about? There has been a lot of speculation about this one Leonardo da Vinci painting and that speculation continues today. Many other Leonardo da Vinci paintings deal with religious themes. After all, back during the Italian Renaissance, the church was powerful, influential and had access to a lot of money.

Even though Leonardo was a bit controversial in some of his pursuits, the church acknowledged the influence of a Leonardo da Vinci painting. Perhaps the most famous of the religious Leonardo da Vinci paintings is “The Last Supper” depicting a scene from one of Jesus Christ’s last days. Of course, this Leonardo da Vinci painting has also garnered a lot of controversy as to the identity and gender of the person to Jesus’ right in the painting.

Most art historians dispel the rumors that it was actually Mary Magdalene. Leonardo da Vinci was undoubtedly the man of his century. His works in art and other disciplines have kept many art historians and researchers in business for years. If alive today, he would still be the ultimate Renaissance man.