Leonardo da Vinci (Figure 1) was born in 1452 in Vinci, Republic of Florence. He was a man with incredible talents in mathematics, science, invention, engineering, anatomy, sculpture, architecture, writing, botany, and art. His inventions and artistic accomplishments are still very prominent today.
Da Vinci studied art under the guidance of Ludovico il Moro in Milan but he also spent time working in Rome, Venice and Bologna. In his later life, he lived in Clos Lucé, a manor house given to him by King François I of France. He was considered to be the idyllic representation of a “Renaissance Man” as he was skilled in many intellectual areas other than art. Arguably, he is most well known for his painting, particularly of religious scenes or iconography. For example, “The Last Supper” is one of the most iconic portrayals of Christ’s final Passover meal. Along with “The Mona Lisa” (Figure 2) these paintings have raised Da Vinci to an iconic position as an artist.
The number of paintings that remain today from the great artist are few; around fifteen. This is due to the fact that he experimented with radical techniques and was prone to procrastination. Many of his drawings did survive, however, and give us insight into his inventions and theoretical drawings. His “Vitruvian Man” is perhaps one of his most famous sketches, depicting how the human form can fit perfectly into a square and a circle with all limbs outstretched. This comes from the Renaissance idea of the power of the individual and of Man, which was an important aspect of society during his life.
CARA VAN RHYN