H.+Leonardo+da+Vinci



Leonardo da Vinci was born on April 15, 1452, in Vinci, Italy to his mother Ser Piero and mother Caterina. Growing up in his father's Vinci home, Leonardo had access to scholarly texts owned by family and friends. He was also exposed to Vinci's longstanding painting tradition, and when he was about 15 his father apprenticed him to the renowned workshop of Andrea del Verrochio in Florence. Even as an apprentice, Leonardo demonstrated his colossal talents as some of his works were as good as Verrochio’s. Leonardo stayed in the Verrocchio workshop until 1477 when he set up a shingle for himself.

Leonardo made his greatest scientific and artistic achievements in the 17 years he worked for the Duke Ludovico Sforza of Milan. The Duke kept Leonardo busy painting and sculpting and designing elaborate court festivals, but he also put Leonardo to work designing weapons, buildings and machinery. From 1485 to 1490, Leonardo produced studies on a number of subjects, including nature, flying machines, geometry, mechanics, municipal construction, canals and architecture (designing everything from churches to fortresses). His studies from this period contained designs for advanced weapons, including tanks and other war vehicles, various combat devices, and submarines. Leonardo's interests were so broad, and he was so often compelled by new subjects, that he usually failed to finish what he started. This lack of "stick-to-it-ness" resulted in his completing only about six works in these 17 years, including "The Last Supper" and "The Virgin on the Rocks," and he left dozens of paintings and projects unfinished or unrealized such as "Big Horse”. He spent most of his time studying science, either by going out into nature and observing things or by locking himself away in his workshop cutting up bodies or pondering universal truths. Between 1490 and 1495 he developed his habit of recording his studies in meticulously illustrated notebooks. His work covered four main themes: painting, architecture, the elements of mechanics, and human anatomy ( Museum of Science: Renaissance Man). Leonardo started his most famous painting, the Mona Lisa in 1503 and finished it four years later. Along with this incredibly detailed painting arise questions such as: Who is this painting of? Is she smiling? Why is she at an angle? Whatever the answers might be da Vinci’s masterpiece was sold to the King of France for 4000 gold crowns and now can be found in the historic Louvre Museum in Paris, France (Lairweb: Mona Lisa) Leonardo da Vinci was mostly known for his amazing paintings and artwork, but his legacy also includes the many scientific ideas and inventions that were the stepping stones for many inventors to come.