Leonardo Da Vinci

Leonardo Da Vinci What are the sources we possess learning about the life and work of Leonardo da Vinci and what are their strengths and weaknesses in revealing his personality? Much of what we have learned about Leonardo da Vinci's life and inventions has been uncovered from the hundreds of drawings and writings he left behind. To date, thousands of these handwritten works have been spread across European museums and libraries. It is thought that Leonardo had the intention of publishing his works in a formal reference.

However, this task, like many others, was never completed. The manuscripts that he left behind serve as indicators of the breadth and depth of his creative and ingenious mind. However, many are also illegible and written in reverse script. His stream of consciousness thinking and non-sequential order of the documents seem to suggest a mind and personality that was truly. They are overflowing with strange acronyms, spellings, scribbles, theories and random notes that are hard to decipher. Leonardo lived during the period known as the Renaissance.

Describe this period and state in what ways you think he was a product of his time and in what ways ahead of his time? The Renaissance was a period of rapid change in the arts. Literature, painting, and all forms of creative expression were greatly impacted by the exposure to other cultures Europeans experienced during the transition from medieval to modern times. The Renaissance is thought to have occurred from 1350 -- 1600 C.E. Leonardo da Vinci reflected the ingenuity of the Renaissance.

During the Renaissance, many artists and philosophers began to focus on the human aspect of life vs. The scientific. The era gave birth to the humanities as we know them today. Renaissance men were writers, sculptors, painters, scientists, poets, and politicians. Leonardo can be considered a reflection this era because his talents were interdisciplinary in nature and illustrated the potential intellectual capacity of man. He was ahead of his time because he often reasoned contrary to popular opinion and thought. Leonardo had wide ranging interests.

Describe some of his activities outside of painting. Many people know Leonardo for his extraordinary paintings such as the Last Supper and the Mona Lisa. However, beyond being a skilled painter, Leonardo was also a talented sculptor, inventor, mathematician and engineer. He possessed a natural curiosity and was eager to test his hypotheses about different things. Some of his inventions include a thread cutting machine, the water wheel, the machine gun, solar power, the calculator, and a flying machine that resembles the modern day helicopter.

He was also a gifted scientist and had interests in civil engineering and geology, as well as human anatomy. Many medical students still use his "Vitruvian Man" sketch detailing the intricacies and internal systems of the human body. Leonardo was a creative writer and had a knack for storytelling and philosophy. In one of his famous quotes he stated, "Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen." He was passionate about myriad forms of artistic expression.

One of Leonardo's lesser known interests was music. He received formal musical training and was a gifted lyre player and vocalist. List some of Leonard's controversial works and explain in what way they are controversial. Does this say anything about Leonardo? Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper painting is often cited as being one of his most controversial works. It is widely speculated that he makes inference to Mary Magdalene in the piece as being the wife of Jesus Christ.

She is seated at the last supper to the right of Jesus. No other artists of the time had ever questioned that the Apostle John was seated to the right of Jesus. Leonardo's odd depiction of a woman has been hotly debated. Many Christians consider this an attack on the divinity of Christ. However, there is speculation as to what exactly Leonardo intended by interjecting this image in the painting.

Some argue this could merely be an attempt to feminize John who the Bible describes as Jesus' "beloved one." Leonardo was not intimidated by challenging convention and thinking in new directions. He made bold and strategic use of light and shadow in his work and played with concepts and topics many others considered taboo. Whatever the intent, his work was successful in spurring interest and inciting debate.

Why did Leonardo finish so few projects? Due to his constantly evolving interests in many divergent areas, Leonardo left many paintings, manuscripts and inventions unfinished. He was often eager to move on to other tasks and would abandon a project whenever he was struck with inspiration for another. In addition, he rejected the status quo and pre-existing research and conclusions on subjects, preferring instead to conduct his own investigations. This consumed considerably more time, but he insisted on.