Leonardo da Vinci paintings in Cologne

Cologne's Wallraf–Richartz Museum holds 1 work by Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519) — the city's entire known holding of this artist in a single institution.

Fewer than twenty paintings are confidently attributed to Leonardo, making any encounter with an original a rare event. His sfumato technique — almost imperceptible gradations of tone that give his figures their mysterious quality — is something that only becomes fully apparent when standing before the actual canvas.