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# 60 • MAY 17 , 2015
# 60 • MAY 17 , 2015
read more about #Great Italians of the Past
GREAT ITALIANS OF THE PAST:
LEONARDO DA VINCI
By Giovanni Verde
An absolute genius for the
whole human history, a representation of the greatness of
the human mind, one of the
greatest representatives of the
Italian Renaissance, Leonardo
da Vinci is the symbol of versatility, knowledge and curiosity, always looking for extraordinary challenges. Leonardo
is one of those characters
that come to mind at the very
mention of Italy, known by the
whole world for its art of painting, for his wit and for being
the precursor of projects that
would change the world.
Leonardo was born in Vinci, in
Tuscany, on April 14, 1452. As
a boy he is interested in painting and is sent by his family to
learn the painting techniques
in the workshop of Andrea del
Verrocchio in Florence.
con l’Ermellino” (Lady with an
Ermine), of the “Vergine delle
rocce” (Virgin of the Rocks),
of the “Adorazione dei Magi”
(The Adoration of the Magi)
and of the “Ultima Cenas” (The
Last Supper). Priceless works,
famous throughout the world,
His production is great in preserved in the most imporevery field of knowledge. Re- tant museums, each subject
garding painting, Leonardo of millions of visits. Works that
is author, among other wor- have made famous the Leoks, of “L’Annunciazione” (The nardo’s "sfumato" style, the teAnnunciation), of the “Dama chnique created by the Italian
genius which also helped develop the aerial perspective of
the landscape.
In science and engineering,
too, his genius was astonishing. His Codex Hammer,
now Code Leicester, a collection of design drawings, is
one of the most valuable books in the world, bought by Bill
Gates in 1994 for the sum of
30.8 million dollars. Also very
famous is his Vitruvian Man,
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