Leonardo da Vinci: An Introduction to a Renaissance Polymath
There are few artists in history who mastered various fields.
If we think about the people who gained this acclaim, we consider them polymaths, geniuses, or even gods among us men.
One such figure is Leonardo da Vinci, a great artist of the Renaissance.
Self-portrait in red chalk (1512) |
This is an introduction to the life and works of this quintessential Renaissance man.
Early years (1452-1472)
Leonardo da Vinci was born on April 15, 1452 in Vinci, Italy.
His father, Piero da Vinci, was a notary, and his mother was a peasant girl named Caterina.
From a young age, Leonardo often immersed himself in nature scenes.
At a certain point, he brought paper-a rare commodity at the time-to sketch his observations.
Landscape drawing for Santa Maria Della Neve (1473). Leonardo's earliest known sketch. |
He drew so well that his father took notice and enrolled him for apprenticeship at age 14.
There's a tale that tells of Leonardo's early mastery.
Verrocchio, his teacher, asked him to paint angels in his work, The Baptism of Christ (1475).
The Baptism of Christ by Andrea Del Verrocchio (1475). The angels in the left are attributed to Leonardo Da Vinci. |
Leonardo painted them with discerning grace that when Verrocchio saw them, he gave up painting and turned to sculpting instead.
Career in Florence, Milan, and Venice (1472-1513)
Leonardo's skills led him to join an artists' guild at age 20.
One of his early solo works is an enigmatic portrait of Ginevra de' Benci, a Florentine noblewoman.
Givevra de'Benci by Leonardo da Vinci (1478) |
He also received a major commission from Augustinian monks to paint an altarpiece called Adoration of the Magi.
Adoration of the Magi by Leonardo da Vinci (unfinished) |
It was left unfinished when he went to Milan in 1482.
It is in Milan that he received the commission to paint The Last Supper (1498), a mural for the Santa Maria delle grazie convent.
The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci (1498) |
This painting exemplified his masterful use of Sfumato, a technique he developed to create realistic shading and depth.
Beyond painting, Leonardo also ventured into Engineering, Architecture, Botany, and Astronomy.
He also studied anatomy. He dissected 30 cadavers and sketched his famous image, the Vitruvian man (1490), in Venice. It encapsulates his deep understanding of human proportion and symmetry.
Vitruvian man by Leonardo da Vinci (1490) |
His findings from these studies are documented in his notebooks known as Codices.
Second stint in Florence (1500-1506)
Leonardo went back to Florence in 1500.
It was during this time that he painted the most famous portrait of all time, the Mona Lisa (1506).
Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci (1506) |
The sitter is Lisa del Giocondo, a noblewoman.
The painting is renowned for her enigmatic expression, achieved through Leonardo's expert use of sfumato.
Copy of The Battle of Anghiari by Peter Paul Rubens (1603) |
He was commissioned again by the Florentines for another mural, The Battle of Anghiari but like the Adoration of the Magi, it was also left unfinished and is now lost.
Last days in France (1516-1519)
Leonardo, now aged 64, was in Rome when he was invited by the French king, Francis I, to be in his court.
Leonardo went and he was honored as the premier painter, engineer, and architect to the king.
A notable painting he made during this period is St. John the Baptist (1516), his final work believed to be a portrait of his assistant, Salai.
Saint John the Baptist by Leonardo da Vinci (1516) |
Another close companion he had was Francesco Melzi, who sketched Leonardo's portrait in old age.
Portrait of Leonardo da Vinci attributed to his assistant, Melzi (1518) |
Leonardo da Vinci died of stroke on May 2, 1519. It is said that he passed away in the presence of the French king.
According to Giorgio Vasari, an art historian, Leonardo expressed regret over not fully realizing his artistic potential, an ironic final reflection from one of the finest artists in History.
Leonardo da Vinci's legacy
Leonardo da Vinci's influence on the world spans many fields.
His anatomical studies were foundational for modern medicine. His codices contained visionary ideas for airplanes, parachutes, and automobiles.
Page of the Codex Leicester |
One of his notebooks, the Codex Leicester, was bought by Bill Gates for $30.8 million dollars in 1994.
Salvator Mundi by Leonardo da Vinci (1510) |
This portrait of Christ, Salvator Mundi (1510), was sold at auction in 2017 for $450.3 million dollars, making it the highest-priced artwork in history.
The Mona Lisa, on the other hand, remains one of the world's most iconic paintings, drawing millions of visitors each year at the Louvre Museum.
References:
Articles
- Leonardo da Vinci - Wikipedia
- Britannica: Leonardo da Vinci
- History: Leonardo da Vinci
- The Art story: Leonardo da Vinci
- Discovering da Vinci
Books
Photos
Youtube videos
- The Genius: Leonardo da Vinci Explained in 11 Minutes by Simply Explained (2021)
- Leonardo da Vinci: The Renaissance Man by Biographics (2018)
- Leonardo da Vinci's notebook: The Codex Leicester by Bill Gates (2018)
- How Leonardo da Vinci changed the world by People Who Changed the world (2020)
- Leonardo da Vinci - The Renaissance Man Documentary by The People's Profile (2024)
Comments
Post a Comment