Leonardo Da Vinci Essay -- Painter Artist Biographies Essays

Leonardo Da Vinci A Renaissance man in Renaissance times, Leonardo Da Vinci frequently defied a simple description. As a scientist, inventor, artist, and so much more, Leonardo Da Vinci’s works continue to impact our lives even now. Born on April 15th, 1452 in Anchiano (now a part of Italy), Leonardo came into a world on the brink of change. The Italian renaissance was sweeping through the peninsula during Da Vinci’s lifetime and he would soon come to be one of its foremost figures. While there is not a great deal known about Leonardo’s early life, it does not seem atypical from that of a normal boy born into a fairly wealthy family during that time period. Born of a notary named Ser Piero and a peasant woman named Catarina, Da Vinci was an illegitimate child. However, at age five, he moved from his birthplace to Vinci, which is in the Tuscany region of Italy, to live with his father. While there, Leonardo began his formal education. Beginning with reading, writing, and arithmetic, Da Vinci excelled at his studies and soon moved on to an apprenticeship with a man named Andrea del Verrocchio in 1466. Verrocchio, a Florentine artist, was known for his works in several different fields of art. He practiced sculpture, painting, and also worked with gold and bronze. Leonardo continued under the tutelage of Verrocchio for several years, studying these different types of art. In 1472, Leonardo had completed his apprenticeship and had his name entered into the Florentine book of painters, which signified that he had officially joined the ranks of the Painters’ Guild. Though he had completed his apprenticeship with Verrocchio and joined the Painters’ Guild, he did not yet leave his master’s house. Leonardo’s artistic talents... ...ve are told to people from all walks of life. His very unique life and his many accomplishments serve as an inspiration to painters, scientists, doctors, inventors, and anyone else who wants to push the boundaries of art and education. Being such a visionary figure in history has also made Da Vinci the focus of many stories and movies from The Da Vinci Code regarding his artworks and his backwards writing, to Mona Lisa Smile a movie about art appreciation centering on the much discussed smile in his most famous portrait. Works Cited Kausal, Martin. "Leonardo da Vinci, 1452-1519." http://www.kausal.com/leonardo/index.html. 21 Jan 2005. O'Connor, J.J., E. F. Robertson. "Leonardo." http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Leonardo.html. 21 Jan 2005. Boston Museum of Science. "Leonardo da Vinci." http://www.mos.org/leonardo/. 21 Jan 2005.