Leonardo Da Vinci Art and History

Leonardo da Vinci was born on April 15, 1452 and lived to be 67 years old when he died on May 2, 1519. He was born in the town of Vinci in the region of Tuscany, Italy. His mother was a peasant girl named Caterina and his father, a notary, Messar Piero. Born illegitimately, it was not until age five that Leonardo began to live with his father and his father’s sixteen-year-old wife, Albiera. Though she was not his mother, she loved Leonardo as a son. At the age of fourteen, he began to study under one of the most prominent artists of his time, Andrea di Cione, known as Verrocchio. It was through the influence of his renowned master that Da Vinci learned the skills to become one of the most talented artists and renowned thinkers ever to have lived.

Though it is primarily Leonardo da Vinci’s paintings that are most recognizable, including two of the most famous and well known works, the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, it is through his near countless other areas of mastery that sets him in a class of his own. He is said to reflect the epitome of the true Renaissance man. His resume would no doubt be several pages long and consist of job descriptions including inventor, sculptor, painter, engineer, scientist, poet, mathematician, botanist, anatomist, writer, architect and musician. The art of Leonardo da Vinci must not simply be understood in regards to his work in painting and sculpture, but instead must encompass the entire breadth of his influence on life, science and the humanities.

Few thinkers in the history of the world were as far ahead of their time as Leonardo was. It was frequently the case that he would envision a project but because of his particular time in history, would not have the means necessary to complete the task. This is particularly the case in such instances as his conceptualization of a helicopter, tank, solar power and early understandings of the theory of plate tectonics, to name a few. The technology and resources required to complete these tasks were unavailable to Leonardo in his lifetime and he was therefore unable to do anything more than journal, research and record his ideas and findings in many such areas.

It is a bit ironic that for how famous Leonardo da Vinci is, he, by comparison to other artists, seemingly produced very little in terms of artwork. It is assumed that only around fifteen of his paintings still exist. His two most famous works, The Last Supper and the Mona Lisa, are the two most recongized works in his oeuvre. One of his other more famous works is a drawing found within his journals of a portrait known as the Vitruvian Man, which is a study of the proportions of the human form. The drawing, sometimes referred to as the Cannon of Proportions, is a combination of the ideal human proportions and geometry. The attention to detail and fascination with the human form, in particular the physical expression of emotion and gesture are common elements found with the artwork of Leonardo da Vinci. Likewise, he was masterfully influential painter in his layering and lighting techniques.

The amount of fame attributed to da Vinci, regardless of his seemingly limited number of artwork still in existence is a true testament to the innovative and influential role Leonardo has had on art. When surveying da Vinci’s painting, The Last Supper you will notice his stylistic signature of human expression understood through form. It is recorded that the time depicted within the painting is the moment after Jesus announces that one of those sitting with him would betray him. Within the painting, there are different levels of expression all portrayed by composure. The disciples huddle in groups of three revealing their individual emotions to the news as Christ sits calmly, and seemingly melancholy alone in the middle of the tumult. The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci portrays a commonly represented scene but in an entirely different and original way.

Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa is not only one of the most recognizable and influential paintings of da Vinci’s art prints, it is also arguably one of the most parodied. The smiling portrait is at once mysterious and inviting, friendly yet distant. The exact identity, origins and martial standing of the subject are still somewhat debated. It is believed to be the portraiture of Modonna Lisa born in Florence, 1495. The facial shadows lend to the characteristic expressive form of da Vinci’s paintings. The painting utilizes two of his most influential techniques known as sfumato and chiaroscuro and gives this particular painting its distinct and subtle color and shadow differences while providing that contrastingly hazy look. It is clear to see why the Mona Lisa is the quintessential work of Leonardo da Vinci. The pinnacle use of form, expression, balance and mystery placed in the middle of a mountainous landscape give clear understanding to da Vinci’s continuous pursuit of experimentation, knowledge and expression.