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Who is Leonardo da Vinci?
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Mona Lisa
Portrait of Mona Lisa, also known as La Gioconda, the wife of Francesco del Giocondo; This painting is painted as oil on wood. The original painting size is77 x 53 cm (30 x 20 7/8 in) and is owned by by the Government of France and is on the wall in the Louvre in Paris, France.
This figure of a woman, dressed in the Florentine fashion of her day and seated in a visionary, mountainous landscape, is a remarkable instance of Leonardo's sfumato technique of soft, heavily shaded modeling. The Mona Lisa's enigmatic expression, which seems both alluring and aloof, has given the portrait universal fame.
This figure of a woman, dressed in the Florentine fashion of her day and seated in a visionary, mountainous landscape, is a remarkable instance of Leonardo's sfumato technique of soft, heavily shaded modeling. The Mona Lisa's enigmatic expression, which seems both alluring and aloof, has given the portrait universal fame.
The Renaissance
In the Renaissance which brought together all human activities, art meant science, art meant truth to life: Leonardo da Vinci was a great figure because he embodied the epic Endeavour of Italian art to conquer universal values: he who combined within himself the fluctuating sensitivity of the artist and the deep wisdom of the scientist, he, the poet and the master.
Inventions!
Drawing of Water Lifting Devices
Flying Machine
Leonardo envisioned this device to be built of wood, reeds and tafetta. "A small model can be made of paper with a spring like metal shaft that after having been released, after having been twisted, causes the screw to spin up into the air."
For much of his life, Leonardo was fascinated by the phenomenon of flight, producing many studies of the flight of birds, including his c. 1505 Codex on the Flight of Birds, as well as plans for several flying machines, including a helicopter and a light hang glider. Most were impractical, like his aerial screw helicopter design that could not provide lift. However, the hang glider has been successfully constructed and demonstrated.
Leonardo envisioned this device to be built of wood, reeds and tafetta. "A small model can be made of paper with a spring like metal shaft that after having been released, after having been twisted, causes the screw to spin up into the air."
For much of his life, Leonardo was fascinated by the phenomenon of flight, producing many studies of the flight of birds, including his c. 1505 Codex on the Flight of Birds, as well as plans for several flying machines, including a helicopter and a light hang glider. Most were impractical, like his aerial screw helicopter design that could not provide lift. However, the hang glider has been successfully constructed and demonstrated.
His Life
Leonardo da Vinci was much more than an artist. He was an astronomer, sculptor, geologist, mathematician, botanist, animal behaviourist, inventor, engineer, architect and even a musician. He was all of these things and more. As the world faces a new millennium Leonardo da Vinci remains one of the most fascinating people history has ever known. He once said that "things of the mind left untested by the senses are useless." Leonardo left little untested, yet few people know the amazing story behind the man often described as the embodiment of the Renaissance.
Leonardo Da Vinci, although holding a true gift in the area of art, also held a strong mind in the area of science and invention. Da Vinci was way before his time; he laid down the basis of many future scientific experiments, and creations. Some of his most popular designs are those of the first airplane and various military warfare.
Text and image sources: Visit them for more info!
WebMuseum, Paris
Leonardo’s Workshop
National Gallery of Art
Enchanted Learning da Vinci Coloring Pages
Museum of Science: Exploring da Vinci
The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci
WebMuseum, Paris
Leonardo’s Workshop
National Gallery of Art
Enchanted Learning da Vinci Coloring Pages
Museum of Science: Exploring da Vinci
The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci