Leonardo Da Vinci

Painter, architect, student, sculptor, inventor, thinker, scientist. All of these words describe the famous Leonardo da Vinci, a true man of the Renaissance. Keep reading to learn about why da Vinci embodies the phrase "Renaissance Man".

Fig. 1: Portrait of Leonardo da Vinci Source:

Leonardo da Vinci-Biography

Leonardo da Vinci was born just outside of Tuscany, Italy on April 15, 1452. He was raised by his father and his stepmother for a while before moving to Vinci to live with his uncle and grandparents.

As a boy, he received some basic schooling, learning fundamental reading, writing, and math skills. As a young teen, he went to Florence to participate in an apprenticeship under Andrea del Verrocchio. Under de Verrocchio, he learned drawing, painting, sculpting, carpentry, leather and metalworking. It was during this time that he created his earliest work, a landscape drawing of the Arno valley (1473).

In 1472, da Vinci entered the painters' guild in Florence. He concurrently worked with del Verrocchio during this period. Leonardo da Vinci received his first commission in 1478 as he was picked to create a piece for the altar inside of the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence. After this, he was commissioned to complete the painting "Adoration of the Magi". However, da Vinci left Florence without completing either project.

Fig. 2: Infrared reflectogram of the Adoration of the Magi.

In the 1480s, da Vinci began to study human and animal anatomy. He dissected both human and animal corpses. He made realistic sketches of skeletal, muscular, and vascular systems. He drew sex organs and a fetus in utero. These were some of the earliest drawings of their kind. This, in turn, made his art far more realistic.

Leonardo da Vinci was a well-rounded student-he studied physics, hydraulics, aeronautics, geology, botany, and zoology. He sketched his observations on paper and later organized them into notebooks, categorized into broad topics like anatomy or architecture.

In 1482, da Vinci moved to Milan to work for the Duke of Milan, Ludovico Sforza. da Vinci's official title was "Painter and Engineer of the Duke". While there, he not only painted and sculpted but also worked as an architecture and military advisor and a hydraulic and mechanical engineer. During this time, he was commissioned to paint three more portraits, but they either disappeared or were never completed in the first place. He worked on The Virgin of the Rocks, an alter painting. Shortly after, he painted The Last Supper and a ceiling in the Sala delle Asse. da Vinci also worked on a sculpture to honor Francesco Sforza. He was in Milan until Sforza fell from power.

Leonardo da Vinci left Milan in 1499 as it was taken over by the French (he returned in 1506). He spent some time traveling to Mantua and then to Venice before returning to Florence.

Leonardo left Florence in 1502 to work for Cesare Borgia as a military architect and engineer. He traveled with Borgia for nearly a year, sketching city plans and crafting topographical maps.

In 1503 he returned to Florence to work on a project that involved diverting the Arno river. He also worked on the painting the Battle of Anghiari and the Mona Lisa.

In 1506, da Vinci traveled to Milan with a group of students and assistants. da Vinci was commissioned to sculpt a tomb for Gian Giacomo Trivulzio. The work was never finished.

He moved to Rome in 1513, after being given a stipend and suite to stay in by Giuliano de Medici. He brought students and assistants with him. Medici did not commission many pieces of art, which gave da Vinci the opportunity to study math and science.

In 1515 he was given the title "Premier Painter and Engineer and Architect to the King" by King Francis I. He left Rome for France, never returning to Rome. Leonardo moved to the Chateau de Cloux near the king's summer palace. He did little painting at this time.

Leonardo da Vinci pursued his scientific studies until he died in May 1519. He was 67 years old. It is generally assumed that he died from a stroke.

Fig. 3: Magnetic Inclination.

Leonardo da Vinci-Inventions

Leonardo da Vinci spent a great deal of time drawing and journaling as part of his academic pursuits. His journals contain tens of thousands of pages full of his observations. He sketched pictures of military machinery and civil engineering designs. He also focused heavily on his study of anatomy

Inventions

In 1482, Lorenzo de'Medici, a Florentine ruler, commissioned da Vinci to create a silver lyre. The lyre was meant to be given to Ludovico Sforza, the Duke of Milan, as a peace offering.

After this, da Vinci appealed to Sforza for a job. He sent Sforza a letter touting his skills as a military engineer. da Vinci sketched early war machines, like an armored tank driven by men cranking a shaft and a chariot with scythe blades on the sides. His boldness paid off-Sforza was interested in his skills and invited him to Milan. da Vinci worked there for over fifteen years.

Inventing Machines

Leonardo da Vinci used his creativity to sketch machines that resemble modern bicycles and helicopters.

One of these was a flying machine, which utilized the movement of bats in its design.

Fig. 4: An Interpretation of da Vinci’s flying machine (ornithopter) II Cigno.

Military Engineer

In the early 1500s, Leonardo da Vinci worked for Cesare Borgia as a military engineer. He surveyed military projects, sketched city plans, and created topographical maps. He worked on plans to divert the Arno River from the city of Pisa.

Leonardo da Vinci-Art

Leonardo da Vinci is seen as one of the best artists in history. Throughout his lifetime, he demonstrated great skill in drawing, painting, and sculpting.

Vitruvian Man is one of these drawings. It is a drawing of a man that is known for his literal perfect proportions.

Fig. 5: Vitruvian Man.

Leonardo da Vinci's Paintings

One of the many things da Vinci was known for was his paintings. This is despite the fact that he actually completed very few paintings. His most famous pieces include The Last Supper and Mona Lisa. Very few of his paintings exist today.

Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper

The Last Supper was commissioned in 1495 by the Duke of Milan, Ludovico Sforza. The painting was to be completed along the back wall of the dining hall in a monastery.

The painting depicts Jesus informing the Twelve Apostles that one of them would later betray home.

It took approximately three years to complete the painting.

Fig. 6: Detail of da Vinci's "The Last Supper".

Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa

The Mona Lisa is one of da Vinci's most famous paintings. A private client commissioned it in 1503.

The painting is shrouded in mystery. No one exactly knows who the subject of the painting was, or who acted as a model for da Vinci. Some possible theories regarding the model include Princess Isabella of Naples and da Vinci's mother. Some think that the subject of the painting is Mona Lisa Gherardini. An early biographer of da Vinci's claimed that the subject was a woman named Lisa del Giocondo, who was married to a rich silk merchant. The Mona Lisa was never completed. He kept working on it, and in fact, never gave it back to its commissioner.

The Mona Lisa currently hangs in the Lourve Museum in Paris, France.

Fig. 7: Mona Lisa.

Leonardo da Vinci's Sculptures

Leonardo da Vinci was commissioned by Sforza to sculpt a 16-foot bronze statue of his father. da Vinci spent more than a dozen years working on this project with the support of students and apprentices. The project was never finished as it was destroyed when France overtook Milan in 1499. da Vinci fled Milan when France invaded.

Gian Giacomo Trivulzio, the leader of the French force that overtook Milan, also commissioned da Vinchi to create a similar statue. This project was never completed.

Fig. 8: Italian Euro 2002 featuring Vitruvian Man.

Leonardo da Vinci Summary

Leonardo da Vinci is the ultimate Renaissance man who was skilled in many areas! He is known for not only his artistic ability but his engineering designs and his intentions.

da Vinci was born outside Tuscany in April 1452. He went to school for a short time, learning basic math, reading, and writing skills. He became an apprentice s a young teen before joining a painters' guild. Shortly after this, he began a series of art commissions, with only some projects becoming completed.

da Vinci moved many times, moving back and forth between Milan and Florence. He also lived in Rome and Venice.

Later in life, da Vinci began studying various branches of science and engineering. He created large notebooks full of his sketches.

In addition to being a well-known artist, da Vinci was also an inventor.

Notable works of art include The Virgin of the Rocks, Mona Lisa, and The Last Supper.

Leonardo da Vinci worked until he died at the age of 67.