Do you know the man behind the most famous painting in the world? Leonardo da Vinci is not only famous for painting the Mona Lisa and other masterpieces, but also for his genius inventions and works in science. Leonardo was a man of many trades because he worked in art, science and inventing.
Before Leonardo became a man of many crafts he had an eventful life. Leonardo was born on April 15, 1452, in Anchiano, Tuscany. He was born to a Florentine notary and a peasant girl. His full name was Leonardo Di Ser Piero da Vinci. He was raised at his father’s house with his half brothers and sisters. When they realized he was a talented artist they sent him to study with Florence’s most respected artist, Andrea del Verrocchio. He was qualified as a master artist and could join some artists guilds, but he decided to continue working with Verrocchio for 5 years. Later in 1482, he was employed by Ludovico Sforza of Milan, as an architect and military engineer. While in Milan his pupils were
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His first portrait was of a Florentine aristocrat, Ginevra de Benci, which is worth around five million dollars. He was one of the first people to use Chiaroscuro, a big contrast between light and dark to get a three-dimensional effect, and sfumato, little graduations to get a softer and smoky aura. His painting, Virgin of the rocks, caused a legal battle between him and the Confraternity of the Immaculate Conception ( Leonardo Da Vinci). He painted his second most famous painting, The Last Supper, in 1495. The Last Supper took almost three years to complete. It is a painting of Jesus and his disciples before Jesus was betrayed. He began painting his most famous painting, The Mona Lisa, in 1503. Many experts believe that the lady in the painting is pregnant (Da Vinci Interesting Facts). It is worth over 787 million dollars and visited by millions each year. Presumably his final painting, Virgin and Child and St. Anne, was painted in