Leonardo Da Vinci Essay -- essays research papers

"Leonardo da Vinci...oh yeah, that is the guy who painted the Mona Lisa!" That was all I knew about Leonardo da Vinci before I started this report. I knew that he lived during the Renaissance and that he was a very important man, but that is about it. There is so much more about Leonardo that he is known for, other than him being the painter of the famous Mona Lisa. Leonardo was a universal genius, (as said in "What Makes a Leonardo a Leonardo?" By: Richard MÃ ¼hlberger, Copyright: 1994) because he excelled in numerous areas of knowledge and contributed so much to the Renaissance. He was one of the great masters of the High Renaissance (as said in the following website: http://metalab.unc.edu/cgfa/vinci/vinci_bio.htm) who was a painter, sculptor, architect, engineer, mathematician, geologist, astronomer and scientist. Birthplace and Childhood: Leonardo da Vinci was born at 10:30 PM on Saturday, April 15th, 1452. He was born in the small Tuscan town of Vinci, which is near Florence. Although, in another reference, it said that he was probably born in a farm house in Anchiano, which is about three miles away from Vinci. The family of Leonardo lived in this area since the 13th century. When Leonardo was born, Ser Piero, his father, was a twenty-five year old public notary. Also, when Leonardo was born, Ser Piero married his wife. He didn't marry Catarina, his mother, because she probably the daughter of a farmer. Leonardo was christened from the parson Peiro da Bartolomeo, in the Baptismal Chapel. He was baptized to the name Lionardo, not Leonardo. The chapel is inside the church of Vinci. According to a tax record, when Leonardo was five years old, he was living with his grandparents. Francesco, his uncle, probably taught him about nature though the wild countryside that surrounds Vinci. When Francesco died, about fifty years later, he willed his estate to Leonardo, which showed a sense of fondness to Leonardo. Apprenticeship: Leonardo lived in Vinci until 1466. Vinci is a small town, in the foot of Monte Albano, in the Tuscany in Italy. When he was fourteen, he moved to Florence, where he bagan an apprenticeship in the workshop of Andrea del Verrocchio. Verrocchio was the leading Florentine painter and sculptor of his day. The apprenticeship program provided all artistic training. He was introduced to many thing... ...tructure; for that, indeed, be it may, is a Devine thing. Leave it then to dwell in its work at its good pleasure, and let not your rage or malice destroy a life~for indeed, he who does not value it, does not himself deserve it." "Iron rusts from disuse; stagnant water loses its purity and in cold weather becomes frozen; even so does inaction sap the vigour of the mind." "Man is the model of the world." "Science is the captain, practice the soldier." "Painters who wish to represent the relief of things they paint must cover the service with a half-tint, then paint in the darkest shadows and lastly the main lights." "He who wishes to see how the soul inhabits the body should look to see how that body uses its daily surroundings. If the dwelling is dirty and neglected, the body will be kept by its soul in the same condition, dirty and neglected." "Nothing flows faster than the years, daughters of time." "When fortune comes, seize her firmly by the forelock, for, I tell you, she is bald at the back." "Avoid excessive study; it will give rise to a work destined to die with the workman."