Research Paper On Leonardo Da Vinci

882 Words4 Pages

Imagine you were an artist during the Renaissance. A time when art was redefined and given a new meaning. What type of artistic approach would you take? The word Renaissance means “rebirth”. The Renaissance period began in Italy and spread throughout Europe. Painting, sculpture, and architecture developed in Europe during the 14th through 17th centuries. The style included portraits, episodes of religious events, and political and economic issues. Leonardo da Vinci earned the title "the Renaissance Man" because of his ability to master the technique known as sfumato. Sfumato blurs contours and allows figures to emerge from dark backgrounds by gradually modulating tones without harsh outlines. Not only was he an artist, but he …show more content…

He was raised by his father, Ser Piero, and several stepmothers. Of the people in his family, Leonardo also had 17 half-brothers and 12 Sisters, from his father, and 5 from his maternal mother. He spent his early years living on his father’s property in Vinci, enjoying being out in nature during his stay there. His father thought Leonardo da Vinci had artistic talent, so he showed him drawings by Andrea del Verrocchio. At the age of 15, Leonardo da Vinci became an apprentice to a prominent artist from Florence named Andrea Del Verrocchio. Leonardo learned a painting technique called tempura while under apprenticeship. Tempura is a technique done by mixing color pigments with water and egg yolks to make paint. In 1482, he began working for the Duke of Milan, designing weapons, buildings, and machinery for seventeen years. His astonishing works were not exclusive to the arts but included advanced plans for military weapons such as tanks, war vehicles, and even submarines. He even drew up plans for a helicopter-like machine, all ideas way beyond the technology available at the time. During the same period, he also began his studies of human anatomy and sketched the famous Vitruvian Man, also known as the Proportions of …show more content…

The objectives behind the Renaissance movement included the rebirth of classical forms, humanist philosophies, three-dimensional artifacts and space, and the rising prominence of artists. The Renaissance movement featured lifelike depictions of religious and mythological figures, as well as scenes from nature. Leonardo de Vinci contributed two great artworks In 1498, Leonardo completed “The Last Supper” a biblical scene showing Jesus and the Apostles. The Last Supper is a snapshot of the moment Christ told his Apostles that one of them would betray him: “Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me” (Gospel of John 13:21). The painting depicts each apostle reacting in a specific and detailed way for the viewer. One year later, Leonardo left the Duke's service after the Duke fell from power, and in 1503, he began working on the Mona Lisa. The Mona Lisa is a portrait of the wife of a Florentine merchant, and its mysterious smile has inspired many writers, singers, and painters. Leonardo da Vinci by Brockwell Maurice W., published in 2013, is a book that better describes the cultural effect that both "The Last Supper" and "The Mona Lisa" gained. As for "The Last Supper," it quotes, “Leonardo has succeeded in producing the effect of the coup de théâtre when Jesus said, "One of you shall betray me." Instantly, the various apostles realize that there is a