Art historians tend to agree that Leonardo da Vinci’s Saint John the Baptist, his final painting, exhibits the finest example of chiaroscuro – the treatment of light and shade – in any of his works. The divine light dancing on the young John’s face, shoulder, and arm is accentuated by the dark background, while the limited palette of colours intensifies the effect. Da Vinci’s focus on light and his exquisite rendering of tone and colour create a great sense of depth – and he achieved a broader range of luminance than any of his contemporaries.