The Madonna of the Carnation, painted by Leonardo da Vinci between 1478 and 1480, depicts the Virgin Mary seated with the Child Jesus on her lap. The Madonna, dressed in precious clothes and jewels, holds a carnation, a symbol of healing, in her left hand. The composition highlights the luminous faces of the mother and child, while the rest of the scene is immersed in shadow, including the flower. Jesus looks up, while Mary looks down, without making eye contact. The work, exhibited at the Alte Pinakothek in Munich, is the only work by Leonardo permanently preserved in Germany, and was previously attributed to Andrea del Verrocchio before it was recognized as the work of the master.