|
|
|
LEONARDO DA VINCI b. April 15, 1452 d. May 2, 1519
Leonardo Da Vinci was born just outside Florence, Italy, and is known as the true 'Renaissance Man'. He is also one of the most known artists today, with all the things being written about him these days. He was also way ahead of his time in his way of thinking. His mind constantly evolved as he continually came up with innovative inventions- things that we now use everyday! He was not only a painter and inventor, but a scientist and engineer. He kept many diaries of his inventions, in addition to drawings of medically detailed and introspective anatomy. Da Vinci was a left-handed man, and had a unique way of writing. He not only wrote backwards, but from right to left. His diaries are readable if held up to a mirror. He was known to occasionally write correctly (left to right), if writing for someone else.
|
^ Leonardo Da Vinci / 1512
|
|
Da Vinci not only did very detailed sketches of flying machines (helicopters and planes), but of weapons, various other machines and buildings. He was intrigued by the physiology of the human body and would dissect cadavers for his many drawings of bones, skeletons, muscles and the like. Yet, none of his works of this sort was ever published, and he only finished a few of his many paintings. One of the most infamous paintings by Da Vinci was The Mona Lisa, also known as 'La Gioconda'. His The Last Supper is another that is immediately recognized. There is a museum in honor of the great painter in Vinci, Italy, aptly named, The Leonardo Museum. It was inaugurated on his birthday, April 15, 1953, in honor of his 5th centennial year.
|
|
Da Vinci was one of the many High Renaissance painters, who began his career with an apprenticeship. Other famous painters who also did this include; Michelangelo (1475-1564), Raphael (1483-1520), and Titian (1485-1576).
Da Vinci was once quoted with- "The most praiseworthy form of painting is the one that most resembles what it imitates".
|
^ Study of Proportions (pen and ink) Displayed in Venice
|
|
|
|
