Leonardo da Vinci: An Introduction to a Renaissance Polymath
An overview of Leonardo da Vinci’s life and works.
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.
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 bought paper-a rare commodity at the time-to sketch his observations.
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.
Andrea del Verrochio, his teacher, asked him to paint angels in his work, The Baptism of Christ (1475).
Leonardo painted them with discerning grace that when Verrochio 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 artist’s guild at age 20.
One of his early solo works is an enigmatic portrait of Ginevra de’Benci, a Florentine noblewoman.
He also received a major commission from Augustinian monks to paint an altarpiece called Adoration of the Magi.
It was left unfinished when he went to Milan in 1482.
It was in Milan that he received the commission to paint The Last Supper (1498), a mural for the Santa Maria Delle Grazie convent.
This painting exemplified his masterful use of Sfumato, a technique Leonardo 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), while in Venice. It encapsulates his deep understanding of human proportion and symmetry.
His findings from his 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).
The painting’s subject is Lisa del Giocondo, a noblewoman.
The painting is renowned for her enigmatic expression, achieved through Leonardo’s expert use of sfumato.
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.
Another close companion he had was Francesco Melzi, who sketched his portrait in old age.
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 foundation for modern medicine. His codices contained visionary ideas for airplane, parachutes, and automobiles.
One of his notebooks, the Codex Leicester, was bought by Bill Gates for $30.8 million dollars in 1994.
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
Books
- The Story of Art by E.H. Gombrich (1950), Chapter 15: Harmony Attained
- Mastery by Robert Greene (2012), Chapter I: Discover Your Calling: The Life’s task
- The Story of Civilization Volume V: The Renaissance (1953), Chapter 7: Leonardo da Vinci
Photos
Youtube videos
- Leonardo da Vinci: The Renaissance Man by Biographics (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)
Resource for further learning:
This post was first published on my website, artnorlife.com, on July 29, 2024.
