Wreath of Laurel, Palm, and Juniper with a Scroll inscribed Virtutem Forma Decorat [reverse] by Leonardo da Vinci

The reverse of Leonardo da Vinci's 'Ginevra de' Benci' (c. 1474) holds a painted emblem: 'Wreath of Laurel, Palm, and Juniper with a Scroll inscribed Virtutem Forma Decorat.' It lives at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.

This isn't just decoration. Look for the split motto: VIRTVTEM on the upper ribbon plane, FORMA DECORAT below. The eye must travel the ribbon's geometry to complete the thought. In a tight shot, you'll spot an orange-red seal in the top-right corner, a painted wax medallion sitting in the dark ground.

The wreath was commissioned for Ginevra de' Benci, a young Florentine poet, and painted on the back of her portrait panel. The juniper sprigs reference her name (ginepro in Italian), while the laurel and palm broadcast Renaissance ideals of fame and victory. The motto itself translates to 'Beauty Adorns Virtue,' a perfectly balanced statement of how outer grace was believed to reflect inner moral character.

It's the kind of object that rewards a slow look. Every leaf and berry was laid down in precise tempera layers on a wooden panel before oil dominated the century. The seal is still unbroken. What do you think it represents?