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A Political Allegory, c.1495 (red chalk on paper)

Image of Drawing depicting A Political Allegory, c.1495 by Leonardo da Vinci
15th century
allegory
animal
art
boat
compass
crown
Da Vinci Leonardo (1452-1519) (work)
dog
drawing
eagle
Europe
France
globe
holding
iconography
Italy
landscape
mast
Mzdrawing
navigating
navigation
olive
perched
perching
political
Renaissance
rocky
sailboat
sailing
stern
study
symbol
symbolic
symbols
transport
tree
wolf
15th century
allegory
animal
art
boat
compass
crown
Da Vinci Leonardo (1452-1519) (work)
dog
drawing
eagle
Europe
France
globe
holding
iconography
Italy
landscape
mast
Mzdrawing
navigating
navigation
olive
perched
perching
political
Renaissance
rocky
sailboat
sailing View More
Asset Details
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6569 × 4779 px | 9 MB
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IMAGE number

ROC1111538

Image title

A Political Allegory, c.1495 (red chalk on paper)

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Artist

Vinci, Leonardo da (1452-1519) / Italian

Location

Royal Collection Trust

Medium

red chalk on paper

Date

1495 AD (C15th AD)

Dimensions

17x28 cms

Image description

It is generally accepted that the drawing has a political meaning, though suggested interpretations have varied widely - an allegory on the magnetic north pole, on river navigation, or on the relationship between Pope Leo X and King Francis I around 1515-16. The eagle apparently wears the French crown, and the wolf is very probably the Pope, steering the Ship of the Church (in St Ambrose's exegesis the Ship of the Church has as its mast the Cross of Christ; rather than using a pictorially disruptive crucifix, Leonardo substituted the Tree of Life, a branch of which was planted on Adam's grave, itself growing into a tree from which ultimately the Cross was fashioned).

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Photo credit

© Royal Collection Enterprises Ltd 2026 | Royal Collection Trust / Bridgeman Images

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Permission required for all uses - Please contact us
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Largest available format 6569 × 4779 px 9 MB
Dimension [pixels] Dimension in 300dpi [mm] File size [MB]
Large 6569 × 4779 px 556 × 405 mm 9.1 MB
Medium 1024 × 745 px 87 × 63 mm 1.1 MB

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