The Head of the Virgin in Three-Quarter View Facing Right

The woman is shown in a three-quarter view looking downward, with a serene expression and eyes nearly closed. Her hair is elaborately styled with a combination of tight braids across the top of her head and loose, flowing curls falling at the side. Subtle shading in black and red chalk creates soft transitions between light and shadow on her skin.

This study illustrates Leonardo’s investigation into 'moti mentali' (motions of the mind), where physical expression serves as a window into the soul's internal state. It reflects the artist’s natural-philosophical approach to anatomy and optics, treating the human face as a site where divine geometry and biological reality intersect.