Leonardo da Vinci Biography

Introduction

Leonardo da Vinci was born on 15th April 1442 at Florence republic (Italy), Anchiano, near Vinci village. He was born out of wedlock by a known notary, Ser Piero da Vinci, who was his father and Caterina, a local woman as his mother. Until Da Vinci was five years of age, he was raised by his peasant mother, where afterward he was taken to his father who was wealthier and a prominent notary. At the era, he could only get a basic education, where his remarkable artistic talent was seen. At the age of 15 years, there was a significant event that led to him being recognized as an apprenticeship, with Florence's renowned Andrea Del Verrocchio. Da Vinci's father who was prominent with his status applied his high status to get him an apprenticeship to such renowned artist in Florentine (Douglas, 1944) . This was a beneficial and important opportunity since it sharpened his natural gift, talent, and skills that made him develop his mechanical arts interest at the Italian Renaissance era.

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With Verrocchio at the apprenticeship, Da Vinci got the training in a number of skills such as painting, drawing, technical proficiency, and sculpting. The Florence's Guild of Saint Luke accepted him in 1472 since he became an expert artist, though he remained to be an assistant to Verrocchio. Da Vinci advanced his skills in the skin's illustration, animal fur as well as vegetation replacing the art's traditional stiffness. He made a production of supple texture "by changing hard metallic surface effects to soft yielding ones, making edges less cutting, and increasing the slight modulations of light and shade" (Leonardo Da Vinci, 1998). Da Vinci's first acknowledgment was at Baptism of Christ by Verrocchio where he made a painting of one of the angels and the background at a distance. In 1476, Da Vinci got some problems with the authority in Florentine where he was charged, alongside four men, with sodomy. This charge was a serious one since sodomy was not accepted and could result in exile or death, although he was lucky enough to be exempted from the charge.

Da Vince abandoned his first project that was to be commissioned, The Adoration of the magi, in Florence uncompleted, so that he could leave for Milan and joined Duke Ludovico Sforza. He had championed majorly himself as a military engineer to the Duke of Milan, other than an artist so that his opportunity to be accepted could increase (Leonardo Da Vinci, 1998) . He was more interest in the science field at the period thus became eager to test and incubate his innovative ideas. This became the most advanced stage in his life, and laid a foundation of most of his works, although most of them were left uncompleted. He completed one of his first paintings in 1486, The Virgin of the rocks, although remade a second version of the same in 1508 after a legal dispute with the commission for an unknown reason (Leonardo Da Vinci, 2016). Some of his famous paintings are a portrait of a musician, St. Jerome, La Belle Ferroniere alongside the lady with an Ermine. However, his most renowned work at that period was "The Last Supper". The admirers called the fresco "the high point of Renaissance art" until it was ruined (Leonardo Da Vinci, 2001). He had a great desire on a larger range of effects of art that was impossible on fresco, so he made a choice to paint with oil together with tempera on dried plaster other than traditional fresco on fresh plaster, which consequently led to the disintegration of the Last Supper swiftly. The many attempts to restore the notable work did not rival the brilliance of the original work (Leonardo Da Vinci, n.d. ). The last project of Da Vinci was an incomplete equestrian monument of bronze that was aimed at honoring Francesco Sforza in Milan. The bronze that otherwise should have been used in the horse's creation was made use of in the preparation of the upcoming war, thus made cannons (Leonardo Da Vinci, 2016).

Da Vinci returned to Florence in 1503 after he lost his patron, the Sforza family, who was sent out of Milan (Koestler-Grack, 2006). In his stay in Florence temporary, he made more paintings like Mona Lisa, the most famous painting in the art's history, Leda and the Swan, St. John the Baptist and Battle of Anghiari (Leonardo Da Vinci, 2001). The Mona Lisa also referred to as La Giaconda featured a young lady called Madonna Lisa Del Giaconda, whose smile was a mystery and puzzle to most people. The painting became the model portrait of the renaissance that was true since it made a caption of the humanism 'spirit (Koestler-Grack, 2006). In addition, Da Vinci researched on the many methods of shadow, light, skin and texture tones so as to make a production of a picture that was realistic that would be responsible for the subject's feelings and qualities. He later went back to Milan where produced the Virgin and Child and St. Anne masterpiece. During this time, he mostly laid emphasis on the fields of science and technology and was able to sketch a lot of anatomical pictures of the human parts. He was designed distinguished contraptions and flying machines for use in militaries such as tankers, submarines, and helicopter. In as much as Da Vinci produced a lot of artworks, he became frustrated in most thus did not complete them. He had a number of varieties that led to a diversion of his attention from his work in progress thus delayed or abandoned it.

Leonard Da Vinci had a great impact on the world due to his scientific sketches and known masterpieces that were amazing. His artworks were a source of inspiration to most artists and influenced their creations such as The School of Athens from the Last Supper by Raphael. Extensively, his discoveries in science foresaw the subsequent identification of the moon's tidal effect, circulation of the blood, geology, meteorology, flying machines and hydraulics (Leonardo Da Vinci, 2001). His innovation and creativity in his designs such as the tank's creation had a great impact and influencing role in the World War 1. His touch to the many fields of interests alongside his ingenuity made the significant contribution to the world. His most influential works were in art and science that left a mark and honor for his great works.

Although Da Vinci had great skills and qualities that were equally admired and disliked by many, the best ones shine out. His great attributes such as natural brilliance, creativity, innovation, and curiosity are remembered up to date. He had a sign to the world because his techniques and ideas were self-taught and transformed from the used traditional style of the era. His self-enhanced and advanced skill has illustrated and proved that ingenuity of a person is not lead by being school-smart facts. Creativity and imagination, therefore, facilitated the ideas invention and designs to be made, thus are equally important if not more than the knowledge in school. This reason, therefore, suggests the lesson from Da Vinci is that for one to be a complete genius, there is a need for the blending of standard education and high level of originate to facilitate the creation of anything new and important to people. Having lived in a traditional period of time, he was endowed with an amazing level of innovativeness through the modern ideas that he represented in form of paintings. Most of this skills and qualities resulted in his extraordinary individuality which was admirable and source of interest and inspiration to the current artists. Therefore, this qualified Leonard Da Vinci as "a true Renaissance man" (Koestler-Grack, 2006).

Conclusion

Leonardo Da Vinci died on 2nd May 1519, while he was 67 years. Until his death, he continued working and furthering his studies in the field of science and art. He once wrote that "The natural desire of good men is knowledge," (Koestler-Grack, 2006). This implied that his curiosity resulted in the desire for a complete comprehension in regards to the surrounding world. He played a major role in achievement and recording of the mankind's insatiable thirst, therefore his ideas and works that were famous have made a revolution in contrast to the understanding of the past. Melzi, his assistant inherited and executed his estate after his death.

References

Douglas, & R. Langton. (1944). Leonardo Da Vinci: His Life and Pictures. Chicago: University of Chicago.

Koestler-Grack, & Rachel A. (2006) Leonardo Da Vinci: Artist, Inventor, and Renaissance Man. New York: Chelsea House.

Leonardo Da Vinci Biography. (N.d.) The Biography.com Website. A&E Television Networks,

Leonardo Da Vinci. (2001) Authors and Artists for Young Adults. Detroit: Gale, Biography in Context.

Leonardo Da Vinci. (2016.) Britannica School . Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.

Leonardo Da Vinci. (1998) Encyclopedia of World Biography. Detroit: Gale, Biography in Context.