Biography Of Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci (1452 – 1519) is among the greatest artists, philosophers, and thinkers. Looking for the highest quality, he made extraordinary works of art, like ‘The Mona Lisa and the Last Supper.’
Apart from artistic pursuits, Da Vinci studied all aspects of life, from anatomy to astronomy and mathematics; his vast research as well as discoveries tried to demonstrate an inherent unity in the universe. Da Vinci is believed to be the key figure who was the catalyst for the European Renaissance, which saw the development of new concepts, discoveries from science, and the creation of exquisite art.
Short Biography of Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo was born a un legitimate child of a Florentine wealthy and noble lady and was raised in Vinci, Italy. As a young man Leonardo developed a fascination with nature, and at an early age, began to showcase his impressive artistic and academic abilities.
The year 1466 saw him emigrate to Florence and enrolled in the Verrocchio workshop. Initially, his formal style was that of his teacher but he quickly realized an artistic flair that exceeded his master’s rigid style. His first major work included”The “Adoration of the Magi” which was commissioned by the monks of San Donato a Scopeto. While not completed, the work was an absolute masterpiece that provided a variety of new concepts. Particularly the themes he explored were motion and drama. Also, he pioneered the use of Chiaroscuro which is the method of defining the form using the contrast between shadow and light. The technique was later utilized to impressive impact on Mona Lisa.
“Shadow is the way in that bodies show their shape. The body’s shapes could not be clearly understood without the shadow.” The notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci (Richter, 1888)
When 1482 came around, Leonardo moved to the Court of Ludovico Sforza in Milan 1482, where he was until 16 years. He continued to paint and also expanded into different areas like anatomy and engineering. During this time, he created the well-known paintings “Madonna on the Rocks” as well as “The Last Supper.”
The Last Supper has been described as one of the most significant religious artworks. It features Christ in the center of the scene the painting evokes great emotion and emotion, as Christ will reveal his betrayal to Judas. The painting is located at the Convent of Santa Maria Delle Grazie, Milan, but unfortunately, over time, it has diminished despite numerous restoration efforts.
Leonardo Da Vinci and Mona Lisa
In 1499 his patron L. Sforza was defeated by the French invasion, leading Leonardo to go back to Florence. In 1499 Leonardo created the fresco of his battle at the Battle of Anghiari. The work was to have an enormous influence on future artists. But, it wasn’t completed, and later was destroyed. It was during this period that Leonardo finished The Mona Lisa. It is the Mona Lisa is one of the most well-known and captivating images. It is a masterpiece of art. Mona Lisa is a portrait of the wife of a Florentine noble. For a few days, she came to Leonardo and sat down for his portrait but she was unable to smile. Leonardo even attempted to get musicians, but with no success. A few days ago, for a moment she gave a slight smile and Leonardo was capable of capturing the moment. Her smile conveys a mystery that is fascinating and fascinating. Sri Chinmoy spoke of his favorite painting, the Mona Lisa.
“That smile has been immortalized by her she immortalized her artist and preserved the work. Artists and art have been immortalized through an unassuming smile that has an unsettling touch. The soul touch is still present and has won the hearts of the globe.”
Within the Mona Lisa, Leonardo mastered the techniques of sfumato as well as chiaroscuro. Sfumato allows a gradual change between colors, allowing delicate and expressive pictures. In the painting of the Mona Lisa, the use of chiaroscuro is apparent in the stark contrast of her facial features and dark backgrounds.
During this time Leonardo also widened his education in science, engineering, and various other fields. There was an endless array of interests. He kept a lot of notes in his intricate handwriting on mirrors, a lot of which was not deciphered until his lifetime. He also sketched elaborate models of machines. In particular the fascination with flying. He often bought birds for the sole purpose of releasing them to release and be amazed by them flying off. Da Vinci was also attempting to design a flying machine himself. His drawings on paper, including helicopters, would be an actuality several centuries after. If his research on medicinal medicine were published they would have revolutionized the field of science since it was he who was among the first scientists to study the circulation of blood in the body. He also discovered how the Earth rotated about the sun, anticipating the forthcoming research by Copernicus as well as Galileo. Da Vinci was fascinated by the various aspects of the universe and life and it gave him a profound passion and love for the universe.
“Here is a form, here are colors Here the characteristics of all the parts of the universe are gathered at a single point. that point is such a marvelous something … Wow! incredible, O stupendous necessity through the laws of thy nature, thou canst cause each effect to occur as the direct consequence of its source, following the most direct route. These are amazing. …” those are the notebooks from Leonardo da Vinci
Through various fields, Da Vinci sought to discover the underlying unity of the universe. He also had an optimistic approach to human potential.
“Things that are separate shall be united and acquire such virtue that they will restore to man his lost memory.”
The Vitruvian Man
This drawing depicts human proportions. Da Vinci used earlier work and notes made by his fellow Roman designer Vitruvius. The painting combines art, man, and science – showing the beauty of geometrical proportions as well as the human shape. It’s a symbol of Da Vinci’s art as well as the Renaissance that he influenced to blend the art forms in one single diagram. The simplicity that a drawing of lines many elements are involved and it has become iconic.
Da Vinci’s fame increased during his life, even though Da Vinci was not a rich man, and was dependent on the support of his friends. This included powerful individuals such as Cesare Borgia who at the beginning of the 1500s requested Da Vinci design instruments of warfare. Da Vinci designed a crossbow as well as a prototype tank and a machine gun.’
The personal life of Da Vinci
Leonardo continued to be single all the time. He never got married or had children. His private life was in the shadows and did not divulge many specifics. He was close to his students Salai and Melzi and was mostly engaged in his extensive research as well as his work and painting. At the time, accounts suggested that Da Vinci was a unique individual, sporting an attractive physique, a regal presence, and a strong moral character. Da Vinci expresses his love of truth.
“To lie is so vile, that even if it were in speaking well of godly things it would take off something from God’s grace; and Truth is so excellent, that if it praises but small things they become noble.” The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci
The first biography of his, Giorgio Vasari, was written on the persona who was Da Vinci in 1550.
“..Besides a beauty of body never sufficiently extolled, there was an infinite grace in all his actions; and so great was his genius, and such its growth, that to whatever difficulties he turned his mind, he solved them with ease.
One of the most notable characteristics of Da Vinci is his extensive respect and admiration for life, truth, and living things. Da Vinci ate a vegetarian diet and would purchase caged birds so that it would be possible to release them. According to his biography, he once said:
“The time will come when men such as I will look upon the murder of animals as they now look upon the murder of men.”
Between 1506 and 1510, Leonardo was 1506 1510 in Milan working for the extremely kind French King Lois XII. In 1513, he visited his home at the Vatican, Rome where he received the blessings of the newly elected Medici Pope Leo X. In the Vatican, Da Vinci worked near fellow artists like the famous Masters Michelangelo as well as Raphael. But, a fierce rivalry quickly developed between the younger Michelangelo as well as Da Vinci.
The religious beliefs of Da Vinci
Although he was the patron of his Pope, Da Vinci was not an Orthodox Catholic. Vasari says of Da Vinci that Da Vinci was
“cast of mind was so heretical that he did not adhere to any religion, thinking perhaps that it was better to be a philosopher than a Christian.”
Vasari deleted this quote in the second edition, but from his work, it is clear that Da Vinci valued reason and was open to questioning the dogmas that were passed down through time. Da Vinci wrote criticisms of the selling of indulgences through the Catholic Church. The religious artworks of Da Vinci also reflect the religious beliefs expressed in a non-conformist manner. The painting of his Madonna on the Rocks incorporates the Virgin Mary and is not dressed up in formal attire or surrounded by the halo of a halo, but dressed amid the natural world. Da Vinci believed in God however his religious beliefs were expressed through his perception of God in science, art, and the natural world.
“We, by our arts may be called the grandsons of God.” The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci
Da Vinci is a master perfectionist. One reason the paintings he created were so short was the fact that he didn’t feel satisfied with his work. Da Vinci said in the final days of his life:
“I have offended God and mankind because my work didn’t reach the quality it should have.”
After 1515 Da Vinci left to be a part of his castle in Cloux close to Amboise at the request of Francis I of France. There, Da Vinci lived out his remaining years free to pursue his studies. He died in 1519 and left an incredible collection of scientific and artistic works.