0 LEONARDO DA VINCI

Introduction 

Art is an important phenomenon, which excites people and plays various important roles. This paper introduces Leonardo Da Vinci, who is a famous painter. In addition, the paper covers the life of Da Vinci and some of his famous pieces. Finally, the paper presents the characteristics of these pieces of art by Leonardo Da Vinci. 

Leonardo Da Vinci’s Life 

Interestingly, this great artist was illegitimately born to Piero and Caterina da Vinci at three in the morning of 15-4-1452. Leonardo Da Vinci was closely linked with his mother from the time he was born to the time he was five. Verrocchio was the name of his teacher who trained Da Vinci in a Florentine studio until he began his art career. Leonardo was 14 years during his apprenticeship. He spent the following years in mastering what the world would later love and remember him. It is significant to mention that the establishment of Leonardo Da Vinci personal workshop at 20 years was commendable[1]. During his career, Leonardo Da Vinci experienced both pleasant moments in which many people admired him. However, throughout his art existence, Da Vinci equally experienced low moments in which his works were criticized[2]. 

For instance, Leonardo Da Vinci was lucky to get numerous rich clients because of the perfection of his works. Leonardo died, 67, as a vegetarian after a life of painting using most inspirations from his life. Leonardo Da Vinci’s highlight was when Lorenzo de Medici, an Italian rich man asked him to design a silver piece of art. The silver lyre which he initiated made him get more orders from this rich Italian man. Leonardo’s life focused on respect for nature because of his continuous habit to free birds in to their natural homes. Finally, Leonardo Da Vinci’s life had most celebrations because up to date people still have T-shirts and other sales materials, which have his paintings. 

Most Famous Paintings 

Evidently, “Vitruvian Man, The Last Supper and Mona Lisa “are the most popular paintings of Da Vinci. In particular, The Last Supper (painted on a rectory wall) began to deteriorate following its creation because Da Vinci did not use the tempera on panel technique. [3]The creation of the Last Supper was instantly when Jesus indicated that a disciple would be disloyal to Him. It is unfortunate that a majority of Leonardo Da Vinci works do not survive because of his deep sense of adventure with new technologies. However, even if the painting flaked, there was a recent remodeling of the same in order for people to enjoy viewing it. Moreover, The Mona Lisa is called half a smile because of Leonardo Da Vinci’s unique use of lightning in most of his paintings. In addition, Leonardo kept on postponing the completion of some of his pieces. Therefore, the available work could be perfect if he had more focus. It is also imperative to mention that his early work was called “The Baptism of Christ”, which he created with Verrocchio. All Leonardo Da Vinci’s renowned paintings display diverse aspects of movement unlike the remaining painters. 

Characteristics of Leonardo Da Vinci’s Art 

It is noteworthy to mention that Da Vinci’s works borrow a great deal of the human anatomy. Originally, The Mona Lisa was meant to be a private piece which took two years for the completion of its creation. This Mona Lisa painting is set on a significant light, which enables people to notice the uniqueness of the painting. The most obvious special characteristic about The Mona Lisa is Leonardo’s use of the smoke technique. Further, this smoke technique makes it hard for anyone to notice the difference between darkness and lightness in the picture. The liquid paint, which Leonardo uses, depicts his understanding of the world to be always in movement[4]. Additionally, the painting of Mona Lisa is unique because of the unique half smile presented by Leonardo. The face of the woman in the painting is straight to the viewer. However, the rest of her body faces the direct opposite from where Mona Lisa faces. Leonardo includes some aspects of nature in the background of this well-liked picture because of his love for nature. For instance, Leonardo Da Vinci paints rivers and rocks in a manner that makes Mona Lisa’s smile out stand out further. In addition, one cannot tell where the dress, which Mona Lisa wears, begins or ends. Therefore, this is another unique feature of Leonardo’s Mona Lisa[5]. 

The painting of The Last Supper is characteristic of an extremely emotional picture, which was for a certain monastery in Santa Maria. In this painting, Leonardo Da Vinci captures respective emotions of the twelve Disciples of Christ. In an elaboration of this Last Supper piece, Leonardo depicts that the display of individual emotions is called “motions of the mind”[6]. Additionally, this painting of The Last Supper has a significant order in the sense that everyone who is represented in the painting seems to play its role. There is a unique that Leonardo Da Vinci portrays the Head of Christ. Consequently, the uniqueness of the painting comes from the special attention he gives this head of Christ[7]. Apart from making the head to be central, Leonardo also ensures that the head meets the horizon in the picture. Da Vinci paints the twelve Disciples in three clusters of four, which could be symbolic of their historical calls to serve with Christ. Like the great artist that he is, Leonardo sets Judas apart from the rest of the disciples in the most artistic manner ever[8]. Leonardo introduces a significant kind of shade on the face of Judas in order to make him more visible. 

Conclusion 

It is evident that Davinci was a great painter. Therefore, there needs to be continuation of his work through diverse ways. For example, the creation of art schools across the globe would lead to the continuation of his work[9]. In addition, any individuals who display such talents as Leonardo’s must undergo professional art training so that there is creation of more beautiful art. 

Bibliography 

Cremante, Simona, and Carlo Pedretti. 2005. Leonardo da Vinci: [artist, scientist, inventor]. Firenze: Giunti 

Kalz, Jill. 2003. The Mona Lisa. North Mankato, MN.: Creative Education. 

Leonardo, Jean Paul Richter, and R. C. Bell. 1970. The notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci. vol. 1. New York: Dover Publications. 

O'Connor, Barbara. 2003. Leonardo da Vinci: Renaissance genius. Minneapolis: Carolrhoda Books. 

Malam, John. 1999. Leonardo da Vinci. Minneapolis, Mn: Carolrhoda Books. 

Stanley, Diane. 1996. Leonardo da Vinci. New York: Morrow Junior Books 

Witteman, Barbara. 2008. Leonardo Da Vinci. Mankato, Minn: Capstone. 

Zöllner, Frank, and Leonardo. 2006. Léonard de Vinci, 1452-1519. Köln: Taschen 

[1] Leonardo, Jean Paul Richter, and R. C. Bell. The notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci. vol. 1. (New York: Dover Publications, 1970) 1.

[2] Zöllner, Frank, and Leonardo. 2006. Léonard de Vinci, 1452-1519. (Köln: Taschen, 2006) 4 

[3] Stanley, Diane. Leonardo da Vinci. (New York: Morrow Junior Books, 1996) 1

[4] Cremante, Simona, and Carlo Pedretti. 2005. Leonardo da Vinci: [artist, scientist, inventor].( Firenze: Giunti, 2005) 56 

[5] Stanley, Diane. Leonardo da Vinci. (New York: Morrow Junior Books, 1996) 21 

[6] Kalz, Jill. The Mona Lisa. (North Mankato, MN.: Creative Education, 2003) 34 

[7] O'Connor, Barbara. Leonardo da Vinci: Renaissance genius. (Minneapolis: Carolrhoda Books, 2003) 12

[8] Witteman, Barbara. Leonardo Da Vinci. (Mankato, Minn: Capstone, 2008) 11 

[9] Malam, John. Leonardo da Vinci. (Minneapolis, Mn: Carolrhoda Books, 1999) 21